🗞️ A big crowd turns out for the Downtown Kernersville Cruise-In

🗞️ NC says its childhood vaccine guidance is unchanged

🗞️ Chris Parker of Kernersville is sworn in as interim Forsyth commissioner

🗞️ Your go-guide to the Honeybee Festival's 50th this Saturday

🥵 Still hot | High: 92°F | Low: 72°F

The heat sticks around one more day, with highs near 92 and a heat index that can still feel close to 100, so the heat-safety rules stay in play through Friday. Skies are partly sunny with about a 30% chance of a stray afternoon or evening thunderstorm. Keep the water handy, take shade breaks, and check on neighbors and pets. Cooler, more comfortable air is finally on the way for the weekend.

Downtown Kernersville turned into a rolling car show on Saturday, and folks came out in force.

The Old Salem Chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America hosted its Downtown Kernersville Cruise-In, filling the streets with gleaming classic and antique rides and plenty of neighbors out to admire them. Among the standouts caught by the cameras: Chris Hicks showing off his 1972 Buick GS Stage 1, Marcel and Teresa Little with their handsome 1937 Oldsmobile Two-Door Sedan Custom, and Torey Burns keeping it modern in a 2024 Vanderhall Carmel. Part swap meet, part street party, it is exactly the kind of easygoing evening that makes downtown feel like the heart of town.

Good news if you missed it: there are two more cruise-ins on the 2026 calendar. Both run from 4 to 7 p.m., on Saturday, September 12 and Saturday, October 10. Bring the family, grab a treat downtown, and go talk cars with the folks who love them. We have added the September date to our events list below so it is easy to remember.

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With school back in session, here is a practical health note for parents.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services said this week that its clinical guidance on childhood vaccines has not changed, and that it "does not anticipate changes" at this time. The statement came in response to a new federal executive order on childhood vaccine recommendations. State health director Dr. Larry Greenblatt said vaccines "remain widely available and accessible" across North Carolina and encouraged parents and guardians to "speak with their provider about which vaccines are recommended and available to them."

For families, the takeaways are simple. Recommended childhood vaccines are still available at private doctor's offices, community health centers, local health departments and pharmacies. And children from birth through age 18 who meet eligibility requirements can be vaccinated at no cost through the federal Vaccines for Children program at participating provider locations.

The federal order has drawn national debate, with supporters framing it as more parental choice and a number of physicians and public-health experts raising concerns. We will leave that discussion to the national outlets. Our bottom line for local parents is the practical one: if you have questions about your child's shots for the school year, the best move is a conversation with your pediatrician or family doctor.

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There is a new, and very local, face on the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners.

Chris Parker of Kernersville was approved Monday as the interim replacement for Don Martin, who resigned from the board at the end of July after 11 years, four of them as chairman. Parker will serve the rest of Martin's term, which runs through January. Because Martin was a Republican, the Forsyth County Republican Party Executive Committee nominated his replacement; Parker, also a Republican, is separately running for a full four-year term for the District B seat in the November election.

Parker brings a business and civic resume to the seat. He owns a family assisted-living center, chairs the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities Commission, and has served on the YMCA board, among others. He said his priorities include keeping taxes low, watching regulations, supporting education and workforce training, and backing public safety. "It is our job to provide that strategic direction and ask those tough questions," he said.

There is a nice hometown footnote, too. Parker was sworn in by Superior Court Judge Eric Morgan of Kernersville, who happens to be the husband of Mayor Dawn Morgan. "I have known him and his wife, Mayor Morgan, for years," Parker said. We wish him well as he gets to work.

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The big one is here. Kernersville's Honeybee Festival turns 50 on Saturday, August 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Fourth of July Park, and here is your simple game plan to make the most of it.

First, parking and logistics. Plan to park at Kernersville Elementary, 512 W. Mountain Street, with accessible parking available at the front lot of Fourth of July Park. It is a pet-friendly event, so leashed dogs are welcome, but remember it is still a warm one out there, so bring water for you and your pup and find the shade when you need it. With the heat finally easing into the weekend, mornings should be the most comfortable time to stroll.

Now the fun. This year's festival is a big one, with 82 craft vendors, 18 commercial vendors, 13 nonprofits and 22 food and dessert vendors, so come hungry and bring a tote for your finds. Kids will have plenty to do: a festival train circling the park, gem mining, a stuffed-animal-building station, face painting, games, and a Kernersville Fire and Rescue truck to explore. And of course there is honey, lots of it, plus all sorts of honey-made goodies. The special moment this year is the unveiling of a new commemorative statue marking the festival's 50th anniversary, so keep an eye out for that ceremony.

A little history to carry with you: this festival is the reason the honeybee is North Carolina's official state insect, thanks to a 1973 campaign led by Kernersville's Brady Mullinax. Fifty years later, it is still one of the best days on our calendar. Wear light clothes, bring cash and a refillable water bottle, come early to beat the heat, and enjoy every sweet minute. See you there.