Residents can learn about King County’s 911 system at citizen academy
February 17, 2012
NEW — 3:05 p.m. Feb. 17, 2012
King County residents can learn how the 911 emergency dispatch center operates as the King County Sheriff’s Office hosts a 911 Citizen’s Academy next month.
The academy is meant to educate citizens about the role 911 communications specialists fill in the public safety system. The program is also designed to prepare people for dialing 911.
Plans for the daylong class on March 31 include information about the history of 911, call taking and police dispatching, training, King County geography, agency partnerships, citizen training and what national certification means for residents.
Newcastle representative calls for King County to ‘closely examine’ arena proposal
February 16, 2012
NEW — 5 p.m. Feb. 16, 2012
King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seattle Mayor McGinn unveiled a proposed public-private partnership Thursday to construct a Seattle arena for professional basketball and hockey teams.
Dow Constantine
Reagan Dunn
The proposed arena — a $500 million facility, including $290 million from private investors — could host NBA and NHL teams in South Seattle near Safeco Field. Local elected leaders, including Newcastle County Councilman Reagan Dunn, lauded the proposal, but said the package needs additional scrutiny.
“As stewards of public money, we must closely examine any plan that seeks King County’s role in financing such a project,” he said in a statement after Constantine and McGinn announced the proposal. “I look forward to learning more about the proposal.”
Department of Ecology enlists teenagers to clean up litter
February 16, 2012
NEW — 9:40 a.m. Feb. 16, 2012
Newcastle teenagers can join the effort to clean up Washington parks and roadsides soon.
The state Department of Ecology’s Northwest Regional Office in Bellevue plans to hire about 72 teenagers to help clean up area roadsides, parks and recreation areas during the summer. Ecology Youth Corps members also learn how to better care for the environment through the program.
Youths ages 14 to 17 can apply through April 10 to work with one of Ecology Youth Corps crews cleaning up litter this summer in King, Skagit, Snohomish and Whatcom counties. Crews work Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., in a four-week session.
Sessions run from June 28 through July 25 and again from July 26 through August 21. Participants earn $9.04 per hour.
Middle school bond shy of necessary votes needed to pass
February 15, 2012
UPDATED — 5:30 p.m. Feb. 15, 2012
A Renton School District bond that would provide funding for a new middle school in Newcastle is about three points shy of the 60 percent needed to pass, according to King County’s special election results.
The $97 million bond would fund the new middle school at the former Hazelwood Elementary School site, now home to the Renton Academy.
The Renton Academy facility would be torn down and a new building would be built in its place. The facility could be a traditional middle school or a magnet school to focus on a specialized curriculum, such a math or science.
Residents spot bobcat in Newcastle’s Olympus neighborhood
February 13, 2012
Lois and Neil Buhman, residents of Newcastle's Olympus neighborhood, reported seeing a bobcat in their yard Feb. 12. This photo was taken at about 8 a.m. after the animal had been resting behind their bushes and running up and down their rock steps. The Buhmans contacted their neighbors, but none of them reported seeing it.
