City announces Concerts in the Park lineup
May 21, 2013
NEW — 11:00 a.m. May 21, 2013
The city of Newcastle unveiled the lineup for the 2013 Concerts in the Park series and this summer, residents can look forward to a variety of music genres emanating from Lake Boren Park.
Whether it is soul, rock, dance or even Celtic violin music, there is something for everyone to enjoy at the free summer concert series.
Concerts in the Park presents the following lineup at Lake Boren Park, 13058 S.E. 84th Way:
- July 24 — Randy Oxford Band (soul, funk, blues)
- July 31 — Geoffrey Castle (high energy Celtic violin)
- Aug. 7 — Shelley & The Curves (dance, pop)
- Aug. 14 — Shaggy Sweet (pop, rock, blues) Read more
Newcastle business offers free massage for military members
May 16, 2013
NEW — 1:45 p.m. May 16, 2013
Puget Sound-area Massage Envy centers will salute active military members and their spouses with its “Massage for Military” event, beginning May 20.
The weeklong event offers free one-hour therapeutic massage sessions to active-duty military personnel and their spouses to recognize everything that these men and women do for our country, each and every day, according to a release.
The event allows local clinic honors owners to honor each community’s military heroes and their families by providing beneficial stress relief through therapeutic massage. Read more
King County holds hearing about proposed Metro cuts
May 13, 2013
NEW — 3:05 p.m. May 13, 2013
The King County Council’s Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee will host a special May 14 meeting to hear public testimony about potential Metro Transit service cuts.
Metro is facing a $75 million budget shortfall due to a drop in sales tax revenue, and unless new funding becomes available, the agency will have to reduce the transit system by about 17 percent, which equates to about 600,000 service hours.
Potential service cuts could affect Newcastle routes. Bus route 114 could be eliminated, while route 240 could experience overcrowding and reliability issues if the cuts go through, according to the King County Metro Transit website.
The hearing takes place May 14 in Seattle at Union Station, 401 S. Jackson St. An open house begins at 3:30 p.m., and then testimony starts at 4 p.m. Read more
Online and in-person candidate filing begins Monday
May 13, 2013
NEW — 11:25 a.m. May 13, 2013
Candidates interested in filing for any of the 331 positions open for election in King County this year may file online or in person for office from May 13-17.
King County Elections encourages candidates to file online, the easiest and most efficient method, according to a press release from the office. Candidates who prefer to file in-person at King County Elections Renton headquarters will be directed to county computers to file online.Staff assistance will be available.
Construction on Coal Creek Parkway culvert begins May 15
May 10, 2013
UPDATED — 9:35 a.m. May 16, 2013
Work is finally set to begin on a city of Bellevue project that will replace an aging culvert underneath Coal Creek Parkway.
The Bellevue portion of Coal Creek Parkway between Southeast 60th Street and Forest Drive will be reduced to one lane in each direction for 24 hours a day until December, beginning May 15.
The city of Newcastle is doing all it can to mitigate the bottleneck that the all-day closure is expected to cause, including changing the timing of some traffic signals. Ultimately, though, drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes, especially during the morning and evening commutes. Read more
Show off your pesticide-free yard with a ladybug sign
May 9, 2013
NEW — 3:00 p.m. May 9, 2013
Families that maintain their yards without pesticides can proudly display their healthy-gardening practices with a “pesticide-free zone” sign, courtesy of King County and Washington Toxics Coalition.
Since kids are most at risk from toxins like pesticides, King County would like to recognize lawns and parks that are pesticide free, according to a press release from King County.
Families in King County who take care of their lawns without pesticides can take a pledge and receive the sign to recognize their efforts. The round sign has a ladybug on it and proclaims the lawn as a “pesticide-free zone”. Go to http://bit.ly/15nBYo5 to sign the pledge and get your free yard sign. Read more
Local chamber chorale launches Kickstarter campaign
May 7, 2013
NEW — 1:30 p.m. May 7, 2013
The Musica Sacra Chamber Chorale, directed by Newcastle resident Bob Ingalls, announced the launch of a Kickstarter campaign to fund the release of the group’s first holiday album.
The music will be taken primarily from digital recordings of their previous concerts. Most of the music is already completed, but it requires the touch of a production expert to bring the songs to their full potential, according to a press release.
The group hopes to raise $3,500 by May 24, and as of May 7, they were already more than halfway toward their goal, with $2,700 pledged.
Musica Sacra Chamber Chorale is a select choir with 16 core members formed to celebrate sacred music as well as serve as an avenue to benefit the people and environment around us. Read more
Liberty PTSA hosts electronics recycling drive
May 3, 2013
NEW — 1:20 p.m. May 3, 2013
Newcastle residents will have the opportunity to donate unwanted items at the Liberty High School PTSA electronics recycling drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 4 at Renton Technical College, 3000 N.E. 4th St., Renton.
The collection location will be in the upper parking lot of the school.
Accepted items include working and broken electronics, appliances, bicycles, motorcycles, cars, trucks, batteries, fitness equipment, medical equipment, lawnmowers and barbecues. Computers, laptops, printers, scanners and other computer parts are also accepted.
Volunteers will collect the items, and the Renton nonprofit 1 Green Planet will haul away the collections. Donating is free, but the Liberty PTSA appreciates monetary donations as well.
The general public is welcome and encouraged to use this event to properly dispose of their electronics.
Pets face challenges, too, as temperature climbs higher
May 3, 2013
NEW — 1:00 p.m. May 3, 2013
The Regional Animal Services of King County is offering pet owners simple tips to keep pets cool as the mercury surges to 80 degrees this weekend.
Because animals cannot sweat like humans and can overheat quickly, especially as the temperature rises above 70 degrees, remember to provide plenty of fresh, cool water to pets, and shade from the sun.
Owners should not leave pets inside a vehicle, especially on warm days.
In sunny weather, the temperature inside a car can quickly rise to 120 degrees or more, even with windows left slightly open. Animals left in a hot car, even for just a few minutes, can suffer from heat stroke, brain damage or death. Read more
Election will bring change to City Council makeup
May 2, 2013
The Newcastle City Council will have at least one new face in 2014.
Councilman Bill Erxleben announced that he will not file for re-election this spring, guaranteeing that there will be one open seat during November’s election. Two other sitting council members could be challenged as well.
“I believe that two terms is enough for any council member,” Erxleben wrote in a letter to the editor.
Erxleben was first appointed to the Newcastle City Council in 2002. He was elected to the council in 2003. After a few years away from local government, he was elected to the council again in 2009.
In addition to Erxleben, Mayor Rich Crispo and Councilman John Dulcich will see their current terms expire at the end of 2013. Both Crispo and Dulcich have announced plans to file for re-election. Read more
