Wally Decker
Tuesday News for October 14, 2025
‘Peak Color’ happening in the High Country. Color is peaking in the Boone and Blowing Rock area (3,000 to 4,000 feet) this week into this weekend, according to Dr Howie Neufeld the Fall Color Guy. You can follow The Fall Color Guy on Facebook.
Listen for ‘Fall Color’ updates from Dr Howie Neufeld (the Fall Color Guy) Friday mornings (around 6:20am) on your Fall travel station, WBFJ!
“Lifechanging news for so many families”
According to the governor’s office, over $6.5 billion dollars in medical debt has been erased helping more than 2.5 million people from North Carolina were affected through the state’s Medical Debt Relief Program.
The program rewards hospitals in the state with federal dollars if they forgive existing debt dating back to 2014. The relief program also helps hospitals better inform and care for patients in a way that helps them stay out of intense medical debt altogether.
https://myfox8.com/news/business/6-5-billion-in-medical-debt-erased-in-north-carolina/
Early voting for the November 4th General Election begins this Thursday (Oct 16).
In Forsyth county, municipal elections are happening in Bethania, Clemmons, Kernersville, Lewisville, Rural Hall, Tobaccoville, and Walkertown.
*Early voting will take place only at the Forsyth County Board of Elections office, located at 201 N. Chestnut St. in downtown Winston-Salem. NOTE: Winston-Salem does not have a municipal election this fall because mayoral and city council terms coincide with presidential election years. https://journalnow.com/news/local/government-politics/article
*Connect with your county Board of Elections to see if there are any candidates running in your town or city. https://www.ncsbe.gov/
American Red Cross: Local blood drives for Tuesday, Oct 14…
Novant Health – Thomasville Medical Center = 12:30pm – 4:30pm
Trinity Memorial United Methodist = 2:30pm – 7pm
Schedule your blood donation appointment TODAY at https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/
Download the Red Cross Blood Donor App or call 1-800-RED CROSS
*Donate blood (now through Oct. 19) and receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card* by email!
Medicare Open Enrollment for 2026 begins this Wednesday (Oct 15) and continues through Dec 7, 2025. During these dates, individuals can make changes to their Medicare coverage for the following year.
All changes made during this time will take effect on January 1, 2026.
https://www.medicare.gov/basics/get-started-with-medicare/get-more-coverage/joining-a-plan
Senior Services: Their 2025 Age Friendly Forsyth Survey continues through this Wednesday (OCT 15).
The online survey is a county-wide effort to gather the voices of residents age 60 and over (AND their caregivers). The survey is available on our website, wbfj.fm.
https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/8240753/Age-Friendly-Forsyth-2025-Survey
Number of the day = around 24%
The number of customers who order dessert at fast-casual or family-style restaurants
https://retailwire.com/americans-dessert-fast-food-restaurants/
Today is ‘dessert’ day 😊 Enjoy…
Discounted Denim: $20 dollars or less…
It’s the Lee and Wrangler warehouse sale going on daily (10-6pm) through next Sunday (Oct 19) at the Kontoor Brands’ campus (444 N. Elm Street) in Greensboro.
Cash and credit cards only. Open to the public.
New clubhouse at Tanglewood Park in Clemmons
To put it into golf terms, the new 20,000-square foot pro shop and clubhouse at Tanglewood Park (which opened in September) might just be a double eagle.
https://journalnow.com/sports/article_dbc339e6-cf8d-409d-aaa7-ca14bdcbb678.html
Thirty of Bob Ross’ original paintings are going to auction soon to raise funds for public television stations facing federal funding cuts. The net proceeds from the auction, handled by Bonhams, will go directly to PBS stations nationwide. The first paintings are scheduled to be auctioned in November, with more to follow in 2026.
The FDA has cleared a blood test to help rule out Alzheimer’s disease in people showing symptoms. Roche Diagnostics announcing on Monday that its (Elecsys pTau181) latest test, developed in collaboration with Eli Lilly, could be used by primary care physicians to help identify patients who are unlikely to have Alzheimer’s disease, while those with a positive result would be recommended for further testing. The test is intended for adults 55 and older in the US who are showing symptoms of cognitive decline.https://diagnostics.roche.com/us/en/news-listing/2025/fda-cleared-ptau181-alzheimers-blood-test.html
(Tuesday) Day 14 of the Federal Government shut-down
LendingTree CEO and founder Doug Lebda died in an ATV accident over the weekend. He was 55. Lebda is survived by his wife, Megan, and three daughters.
https://myfox8.com/news/lendingtree-ceo-founder-doug-lebda-dies-in-north-carolina-atv-accident/
Traffic Alert: Hwy 52 at Hanes Mill Road in Winston-Salem
NC-DOT: The Highway 52 ramps off Hanes Mill Road are now CLOSED for the next 30 days (through November 11). Motorists are encouraged to avoid the area and plan for alternate routes. All part of the Hanes Mill Road widening project.
https://journalnow.com/news/local/government-politics/article
Joy Prom Winston-Salem 2025
Saturday, Nov 1, 2025 from 6pm – 9pm at Truist Stadium
(where the Winston-Salem Dash play baseball).
Joy Prom is a ‘free’ full-scale prom for special needs individuals in our community. More volunteers are needed!!!!
There are many different ways that people can volunteer from setup to cheering as guests enter the venue, food service, hosts and hostesses for our guests for the evening as well as cleanup and breakdown, etc.
Joy Prom is 100% free for all of our guests and caregivers.
But, there are costs involved to actually hold Joy Prom every year.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/joypromwinstonsalem/
To volunteer (age 16 and older) https://volunteer.loveoutloudws.com/need/index…
