This Week in Winston-Salem: Sizzling Heat, Star-Spangled Traditions & a Fond Farewell
This Week in Winston-Salem: Sizzling Heat, Star-Spangled Traditions & a Fond Farewell
Welcome back to your weekly Winston-Salem local news roundup — your favorite spot to catch up on everything happening in our incredible corner of North Carolina! Whether you're beating the heat with a cold sweet tea on the porch or sneaking a quick read on your lunch break, we've got the stories that matter most to our community right here. This week brought record-breaking heat, beloved Fourth of July traditions, a heartfelt goodbye from a longtime public servant, and plenty of reasons to be proud of where we live. Let's dive in!
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🌡️ Triad Bakes: Winston-Salem Braces for Its Hottest Stretch Since 2007
If you stepped outside this weekend, you already know — it is hot out there, friends. Winston-Salem climbed past 90 degrees with thick, sticky humidity, and forecasters say we could see triple-digit temperatures three days in a row for the first time since 2007. That's the kind of heat that has all of us rethinking our afternoon plans and checking on the folks next door.
Speaking of looking out for one another, the Forsyth County Department of Social Services is stepping up in a big way. Through Operation Fan Heat Relief, DSS is distributing free electric box fans to eligible residents who need a little help staying cool. It's a wonderful reminder that in Winston-Salem, we take care of each other — especially our seniors and neighbors most vulnerable to the heat. If you or someone you know could use a fan, it's worth a quick call to DSS. Stay hydrated, stay shady, and check on your people.
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🎆 75 Years Strong: Buena Vista's Sylvan Road Keeps the Fourth of July Magic Alive
Now here's a story that'll warm your heart (as if we needed more warmth this week!). The Sylvan Road neighborhood in Buena Vista celebrated Independence Day the way they've done it for an astonishing 75 years — with a beloved neighborhood gathering and parade. But this year came with an extra-special twist: residents opened a time capsule that had been buried back during the 1976 bicentennial celebration. Can you imagine the memories, notes, and treasures waiting inside after nearly half a century?
There's something so beautifully Winston-Salem about a tradition that spans generations, where kids who marched in the parade decades ago now watch their own grandchildren do the same. It's community, continuity, and pure hometown pride all rolled into one.
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⚾ Baseball, Fireworks & Honoring Our Treasures at Truist Stadium
The Fourth of July fun didn't stop there! The Carolina Disco Turkeys brought the party to Wake Forest University's Couch Ballpark with baseball, brand-new food offerings, and a big post-game fireworks show that lit up the Saturday night sky.
And over at Truist Stadium, the Winston-Salem Dash celebrated the holiday with a truly touching tribute — featuring the names and photographs of participating centenarians, honoring some of our community's most treasured residents who've reached the remarkable milestone of 100 years and beyond. Between the crack of the bat, the boom of fireworks, and a heartfelt salute to a century of local lives, it was a Fourth to remember.
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🏛️ Thank You, Chairman: Don Martin Announces Retirement
After nearly 12 years on the board, Forsyth County Commission Chair Don Martin has announced he'll retire at the end of July. And what a career of service it's been — before his time on the commission, Martin spent 19 years as superintendent of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, shaping the education of countless local students.
Whether you agreed with every vote or not, there's no denying the decades Don Martin has devoted to this community. From the classroom to the county chambers, he's been a fixture of local leadership for a generation. We wish him a well-deserved and restful retirement — thank you for your service, Mr. Chairman.
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🌱 New Life for Kimberley Park's Greenhouse
Some promising news on the local-food front! City leaders are weighing a new management plan for Winston-Salem's Kimberley Park hydroponic greenhouse, the multimillion-dollar facility that's sat vacant since June 2025. City staff have selected Anders Family Farm of Tobaccoville to lease and operate it — a move that could finally bring this impressive space back to life growing fresh, local produce for our community. Here's hoping we see those grow-lights humming again soon.
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📅 Mark Your Calendar: What's Happening Around Town
There's no shortage of fun on the horizon, so grab your planner:
- Christmas in July — July 10 at the Jerry Long Family YMCA in Clemmons. Yes, Santa in the summer heat — we love it!
- Beyond the Page: From Sketch to Story with 4 NC Illustrators — July 10 at 251 North Spruce Street.
- Sweeter Love: A Live Music & Art Fundraiser featuring Athenaeum — July 10 at The Ramkat.
- 2nd Saturday: Bold Shapes & Bright Colors — July 11, a colorful downtown arts celebration.
- International Black Theatre Festival — July 26 in Downtown Winston-Salem, one of our region's crown-jewel cultural events.
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💙 One Quick Heads-Up for Your Wallet
A small housekeeping note: as of July 1, water and sewer rates ticked up 5 percent, which works out to about a $5.89 bi-monthly increase for the average residential customer. Not a huge jump, but worth knowing as those summer water bills roll in.
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Until Next Week, Winston-Salem!
From record heat to 75-year-old traditions, from heartfelt farewells to fresh new beginnings, it's been a full week here in the Camel City — and through all of it, that unmistakable Winston-Salem community spirit shines right through. Stay cool, look out for your neighbors, and we'll see you back here next week with another roundup of the stories that make our home so special.
This weekly roundup is brought to you with community pride by Winston Self Storage — the honest storage alternative right here in Winston-Salem.