Newcastle-area councilman urges Legislature to create alert for police
February 23, 2012
NEW — 5:30 p.m. Feb. 23, 2012
Reagan Dunn
King County Councilman Reagan Dunn announced a plan Thursday to urge state legislators create a “blue alert” system to inform the public about people suspected of injuring or killing law enforcement officers.
The proposal came hours after a man fatally shot a state trooper in Kitsap County. Dunn plans to introduce a motion Monday urging the council to support state legislation to create a “blue alert” system.
“This tragic pattern of injury and death to law enforcement officers in Washington state simply cannot continue,” he said in a statement. “We in government must do everything in our power to protect those who put their lives on the line everyday in order to protect us.”
Newcastle police seek information for home burglary, lighting thefts
February 21, 2012
NEW — 11 a.m. Feb. 21, 2012
Police are seeking information after a house was burglarized Feb. 15 in the 8200 block of 117th Ave. SE. Prior to the burglary, two males came to the door of that house and said they were raising money for earthquake relief, according to Newcastle Police Chief Melinda Irvine. The men were driving a black four-door Lexus.
The first man is described as a skinny Asian male that is about 5 foot, 9 inches tall. The second man is described as an Asian male, 5 feet, 9 inches or 5 feet, 10 inches tall with a medium build and short hair. He was reportedly wearing a white shirt and tie.
Contact Detective Christy Marsalisi or any other member of the Newcastle Police Department at 425-649-4444 if you have been contacted by the men or have any other information regarding the burglary.
Scholarships available to Newcastle students
February 21, 2012
NEW — 9:10 a.m. Feb. 21, 2012
Scholarship applications are now available from the non-profit Newcastle Running Club. Based on proceeds from the 2011 Newcastle Days 5K Run/Walk, a total of $4,200 in scholarship funds will be awarded to college-bound students who live in Newcastle or are seniors at Hazen or Liberty high schools.
Three individual scholarships of $1,400 will be awarded. Since the event’s founding in 2009, donations by the nonprofit Newcastle Running Club has resulted in $15,000 in community fundraising.
Email to receive a scholarship application and details.
The application deadline is March 31.
King County assessor mails property tax bills to residents
February 20, 2012
NEW —9 a.m. Feb. 20, 2012
King County residents started to receive property tax bills in recent days and, although property tax collection in the county up 1.71 percent from last year, property owners should see a drop in bills and a decline in property valuation.
The total value of property in the county continued to decline for the 2012 tax roll, but the drop is slightly less than 2011. Officials said property values declined in almost every area in King County last year.
The median assessed value in rural Southeast King County, for instance, declined from $304,000 for the 2011 tax roll to $259,000 for 2012 — or a decrease in the tax bill of $470.
