Elementary school hosts its first science fair Page 14
June 1, 2012 VOL. 14, NO. 6
Filled with thanks
Station owners give back with fundraiser. Page 2
More than a beauty
Miss Black Washington talks about causes that are dear to her. Page 9
You should know Trout fry introduced to Lake Boren last year are now of catchable size (about a halfpound). Additional fry were recently introduced to the lake. Children who are 14 and younger don’t need a fishing license, while teens 15 and older are required to purchase a youth fishing license.
Contact us: newcastle@isspress.com 392-6434, ext. 239
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Newcastle runner takes on mountain challenge Page 16
Suspicious women reported in China Creek An alert neighbor spotted a suspicious truck and two women she did not recognize at her neighbor’s house at about noon May 8 in the China Falls neighborhood, according to a press release from Newcastle Police Chief Melinda Irvine. The neighbor reported that she saw the women leave the house carrying items, called 911 and took photographs. Residents are encouraged to call Newcastle Police at 6494444 if they recognize the women or had any contact with them that morning. The vehicle is reportedly a two-door dark green Chevy truck, with the Chevrolet emblem on the hubcaps. The first suspicious person — a white woman with red hair— is reported to have been wearing a dark-brown hooded shirt, jeans and dark Nike tennis shoes. The second suspicious person — a white woman with light hair — is reported to have been wearing a white hooded shirt with jeans and white tennis shoes. “Residents have been great about taking photos and calling us when they see suspicious activity,” Irvine said in the
Photos contributed
A Newcastle woman took this picture (above) of two women suspected in a home burglary in the China Creek neighborhood around 12 p.m. May 8. The truck below is also considered suspicious by police. release. “Please continue to do so, making sure you remain safe (out of sight, as in this case, is great) and if you can write down a license plate that is awesome, too.” Some tips the police department recommend to preventing home break-ins include: See SUSPECTS, Page 6
City takes on water issues with action plan Maintenance of stormwater facilities desperately lacking, report finds By Christina Lords After the Newcastle City Council charged Public Works Director Mark Rigos with the task of creating a comprehensive action plan for the city’s stormwater facilities and maintenance last fall, he discovered three things to report this spring — the good, the bad and the downright ugly. The city has fallen behind on myriad aspects of stormwaterrelated facilities and upkeep, and an aggressive, but adequate, action plan must be put into place to increase maintenance and coordinate inspection
records, Rigos told the council at a May 1 study session. The proposed surface water action plan was based on five studies financed by the city in 2001, 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2010. “There’s quite a bit of information there, but not all if it is getting done in the field,” Rigos said. Before the work, the city was unsure of who owned which facilities, including storm drainage detention ponds, and as of this year, there are now four to five times more flow control and water treatment systems to maintain than when Newcastle
became incorporated in 1994. “At this point, the city needs to play catch up on a lot of tasks,” Rigos said. The council outlined eight tasks in the fall for Rigos and staff to complete and report on. They are: q identify ownership of the stormwater facilities in Newcastle q determine whether the stormwater management fund is adequate to financially support the facilities q create a timeline and budget to bring facilities into recommended condition q analyze legal duties of private facility owners to bring them into compliance q recommend future policy regarding public and private ownership of new facilities q discuss use of private con-
“The history of this is that it has been badly managed since the city was born. That’s the fault of a lot of people. It’s the fault of the staff. It’s the fault of the city managers. It’s the fault of the city councils during that time for their oversight, too.” — Bill Erxleben Newcastle City Councilman tractors to bring facilities into compliance q provide a 2012 maintenance plan for review, with particular attention to facilities that are likely to cause damage See WATER, Page 6