Today’s Forecast

70º | 0% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:45 a.m. | Sunset 6:20 p.m.

Blazing new trails

Get ready to explore a new area of Forsyth County at Belews Lake Park

Green water against a backdrop of green trees with hints of orange leaves. There are clouds in a blue sky above.

Find a great view to connect with nature. | Photo via Forsyth County Government

You’ll soon have a new place to enjoy the outdoors. Phase One of construction at Belews Lake Park is expected to be complete early to mid-summer. It will be the first publicly owned park on the lake, which is in the northwestern corner of Forsyth County (~30 minutes from downtown Winston-Salem).

Exploring development

Forsyth County acquired 216 acres around Belews Lake from Duke Energy in 2021. The $640,000 purchase was made with a grant from NC’s Clean Water Management Trust.

Chris Weavil, the Director of Forsyth County Parks and Recreation, told City Editor Cambridge that Forsyth County will develop 70 to 75% of the property. The master plan was designed to follow protective restrictions.

“There’s a 300-ft protected buffer around the lake and then any of our intermittent streams, or femoral creeks that we’ve got through the property, there’s a 100-ft buffer on those,” Weavil said.

Natural fun

The property has nearly two miles of lake frontage. When it’s completed, the park will offer:

An ADA-accessible fishing pier
A shelter that can hold 150-200 people
Playgrounds
Restrooms and a comfort station
1,200 linear feet of paved, ADA-accessible walking trail
3,500 linear feet of a gravel nature trail along the shoreline

A map showing green outline of land for park. Phase One sections are in the top left and bottom of the property. Phase Two is circled in red toward the middle and future phases are in orange to the right along the shoreline. A legend is on the left. — Phase One are the turquoise-colored sections.
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Rendering via Stimmel Associates and Stitch Design Shop

Work in progress

Phase One began in February 2023. Construction was slated to wrap up within a year, but supply chain issues and rainy weather caused delays. The roadways and 90% of the grading work are complete. Crews are waiting for electricity before drywall can be installed in buildings. Phase One cost a total of $7.6 million.

Visitors will be able to use the park while work continues on future phases. Forsyth County Commissioners are still in the process of allocating that funding.

The park is located off Belews Creek Road at 7455 Craig Rd. in Belews Creek. Once it’s open, visitors will be able to use amenities during daylight hours.

Events

Tuesday, March 5

“Come Together” | Tuesday, March 5 | 7 p.m. | Earl’s, 121 W. 9th St., Winston-Salem, Winston-Salem | Free | Hear local musicians perform songs by The Beatles.
Comedy Night | Tuesday, March 5 | 8-9:30 p.m. | Incendiary Brewing Company, 486 N. Patterson Ave., #105, Winston-Salem | Free | Seating is first come, first serve at this stand-up show featuring NC comedians.
Innovation Oasis: Business Mixer | Tuesday, March 5 | 4-6 p.m. | Fiddlin’ Fish Brewing Company, 772 Trade St. NW, Winston-Salem | Connect with like-minded innovators and business leaders.

Wednesday, March 6

Fly Fishing Film Tour | Wednesday, March 6 | 7-10 p.m. | Marketplace Cinemas, 2095 Peters Creek Pkwy., Winston-Salem | $20 | Enjoy a selection of short films that showcase anglers’ adventures.

Thursday, March 7

Let’s Talk Trades | Thursday, March 7 | 4-6 p.m. | WS/FCS Maintenance Facilities, 3810 N. Liberty St., Winston-Salem | Free, RSVP | Connect with fellow trade enthusiasts and talk with industry experts.
We Heal Together Winston-Salem Community Kickoff | Thursday, March 7 | 5-8 p.m. | St. Stephen’s Missionary Baptist Church , 5000 Noble St., Winston-Salem | Free | Celebrate the beginning of this community-driven initiative at a ribbon cutting that includes dinner and a panel discussion.

Friday, March 8

“Belleville” | Friday, March 8 | 7:30-10 p.m. | Mountcastle Forum, 251 N. Spruce St., Winston-Salem | $15-$19 | Watch the lives of young Americans Zack and Abby start to crumble after their move to Paris — be advised of adult themes.

Saturday, March 9

Brass Around the World | Saturday, March 9 | 3 p.m. | Hanes Auditorium, Robert E. Elberson Fine Arts Center at Salem College, 412 Rams Dr., Winston-Salem | $5-$20 | The music will explore various nations and cultures with world renowned euphonium soloist Demondrae Thurman.

Events calendar here

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Travel

Spring Break destination: Road trip with the family to Columbia, SC

A slideshow of families on a bike ride, at an aquarium, inside a cabin, and playing at a children's museum in Columbia, SC.

You’ll have no problem getting the kiddos here, but we can’t promise it will be easy to get them to leave after a fun-filled weekend. | Photos by Forrest Clonts + Marquita Wright

Spring Break is coming up, and summer isn’t far behind. Looking for a destination for a family vacation? We’ve got one that’s packed with history, culture, and indoor and outdoor activities — and it won’t break the bank.

Enter: Columbia, SC, a ~2.5-hour drive from WS.

To make the planning easy, we’ve rounded up some of the top itinerary activities for you to choose from. Enjoy exploring, WS.

History: Check out the South Carolina State Museum, EdVenture Children’s Museum, walking tours of Main Street, the Capital, and more.
Culture: You’ll want to plan a visit to the Columbia Museum of Art, enjoy the public art around the city, and maybe catch a family-friendly musical at Town Theatre or puppetry performance at Columbia Marionette Theatre.
Indoor and outdoor activities: Stack your schedule with a mix of family-friendly indoor activities and outdoor options to really get a feel for Soda City.

If you’re bringing your furry family member, you’ve got the pick of the litter when it comes to pet-friendly hotels. If you’d rather wake up to fresh air, pick from camping options, or opt for a bed-and-breakfast or full-service property.

Ready, set, stay in Soda City

News Notes

Closed

The Chick-fil-A at Thruway Shopping Center (391 Knollwood St.) is closed for a rebuild that is expected to take six months. Meanwhile, the Chick-fil-A in Whitaker Square (1925 N. Peace Haven Rd.) is back open after a similar rebuild. (Winston-Salem Journal)

Talk

Greater Winston-Salem, Inc. will host the State of the Economy luncheon on Thursday, April 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Benton Convention Center. Amanda Ellis, Editor in Chief of Livability.com, will be the keynote speaker — tickets start at $70.

Sports

Rooting for the home team won’t cost you more this year. The Winston-Salem Dash are freezing the price of tickets, food, and beverages at Truist Stadium for the 2024 baseball season.

Cause

Support the student-run and physician-staffed DEAC (Delivering Equal Access to Care) Clinic at a fundraiser on Friday, March 8 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. A Night in the Quarter will include a silent auction, food, wine, and live music — tickets are $60.

Trending

Forget a pickle on the side — how about a sandwich inside a pickle? O’Brien’s Deli is now serving pickle subs. The restaurant at 4001 Country Club Rd. offered to make the unique sandwich in response to a post online and it’s become a local food trend. (Winston-Salem Journal)

Family

Register for the Cherry Blossom Tea Party at Reynolda Gardens on Saturday, March 16 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Children can participate in tea party-themed art stations, make cherry blossom crowns, and decorate a souvenir tea cup. Tickets for an adult/child pair are $64.

Health

Did you know that high blood pressure is known as a “silent killer” condition? Here’s everything to know about high blood pressure — including treatments, what causes it + why it’s dangerous — according to Novant Health cardiologist Dr. Linda Calhoun.*

Fun Fact

Smart printers can monitor ink levels and send new cartridges directly to your door before you run out. Get a $10 credit for HP Instant Ink.*

Civic

Know before you go

5 reminders as you cast your vote on primary election day

Trees in background with hands holding a sticker that says "I voted" with an American flag.

Make your voice heard. | Photo by WStoday

Today is primary election day in North Carolina. Voters will head to the polls to nominate party candidates for the general election in November. Here are five reminders before you head to the polls:

Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and will close at 7:30 p.m. As long as you’re in line at 7:30 p.m., you’ll be able to cast your ballot.
You cannot change your party affiliation for the primary election. Check your sample ballot to see which races you’ll vote in.
You’ll vote at your designated polling place. Check your registration to find where to vote.
Bring an acceptable photo ID to the polls.
It’s too late to mail your absentee ballot, so you’ll need to hand-deliver it to the Forsyth County Board of Elections (201 N. Chestnut St.) by 7:30 p.m.

The Forsyth County Board of Elections will publish results after polls close.

The Buy

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Prepared Hero’s Emergency Fire Blanket, a highly-rated staple to have on hand in your kitchen or yard. It’s easier to use than common fire extinguishers + leaves no mess behind, too.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Cambridge

From the editor

I tried Spotted Cow Steakhouse this weekend and the food was excellent. I recommend trying the crab cake egg rolls for an appetizer and making reservations well in advance if you want to go.

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