🌱 Gears And Guitars 10th Anniversary + School Supply Giveaway

Good morning, everybody. It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Winston-Salem Patch newsletter — here to explain all the most important things happening in town these days.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: Mostly sunny. High: 88 Low: 66.
• Tuesday: Mostly sunny and nice. High: 87 Low: 66.

Here are the top three stories in Winston-Salem today:

1. Gears and Guitars is gearing up for its 10th anniversary weekend in Winston-Salem, scheduled from Aug. 4 through 6. The three-day event will offer a series of free outdoor concerts downtown, along with professional and amateur cycling events and community bike rides. Attendees can enjoy performances by various artists and bands, including Cracker, Nine Days, and Soul Asylum. For additional details about the event, a live interview with event director Ray Boden is available in the provided video. (WXII)
2. The Winston-Salem Police Department and the Winston-Salem Police Foundation will hold their annual school supply giveaway on Friday, Aug. 11 at 2:00 p.m. The event will take place at The Quarry at Grant Park and is open to students from pre-K to high school. Families can receive a backpack filled with school supplies for the upcoming academic year on a first-come, first-served basis, with one bag per child attending. (WFMY)
3. The North Carolina DMV's extended Saturday hours, aimed at reducing customer stress, have not been successful in some locations, where few customers are showing up. Some customers express frustration with the long lines on Saturdays and prefer visiting on weekdays. The agency has tried various measures, including sending staff home early in locations with low turnout, but staffing remains an issue. The DMV recommends visiting outlying locations to avoid crowded offices. The extended Saturday hours are scheduled to end on Aug. 26, and the agency hopes to supplement office visits with kiosks in shopping malls in the future. (CBS 17)

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Today and tomorrow in Winston-Salem:

Monday, July 31

• Siren Series Jazz At Footnote (6:00 PM)

Tuesday, August 1

• Winston-Salem Dash At Truist Stadium (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• The authorities are seeking public input to improve safety and efficiency on Kernersville Road, from Waughtown Street to Old Winston Road. They are interested in ideas that address safety, congestion, school-day traffic, and development. The meeting to gather input will take place on Thursday, Aug. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at 401 Robbins Road. (City of Winston-Salem, NC - Government via Facebook)
• WePLAY Soccer is bringing back Youth Soccer for children aged five to 12 years. Registration is open until Aug. 11, and practice sessions will start on Aug. 19. For more information, interested parents can contact Alonzo Winfield at alonzow@cityofws.org and register their child using the provided link. (City of Winston-Salem Recreation and Parks via Facebook)
• New houses are on the market in Winston-Salem! Check out the latest listings at the link. (Winston-Salem Patch)

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Alrighty, you're all good for today! I'll see you soon.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.