Bellevue firefighters and Overlake Hospital doctors and nurses will offer free blood pressure and blood sugar checks at Newcastle City Hall Friday, February 22nd, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The event is part of Bellevue Fire's "Heart Week," which allows firefighters to help residents avoid or treat illnesses that are leading causes of death in the United States. Checks will also be offered at the Coal Creek YMCA on Saturday, February 16th, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Other event locations, dates and times are available. For more information visit Bellevue Fire's Heart Week web page.

• 118th Ave. storm drainage improvements 
• Highlands Trail reconstruction 
• Lake Boren Park Maintenance Garage
• Newcastle Golf Club Road landslide repair

The following projects are planned for this summer:  

• Coal Creek Parkway repaving
• New sidewalk on SE 73rd Pl., between 129th and 127th Ave. 
• New sidewalk on 116th Ave., between 80th St. and 84th St.  
• Golf Course Trail gravel overlay and drainage ditching

This fall the following projects will move forward:

• Gypsy Creek storm drainage pipe outfalls on 90th and 91st St
• Boren Creek excavation for lake drainage mitigation

Terms expire for three City Council seats this year. Voters will decide who will guide Newcastle policy for the next four years during the November 5, 2013, General Election. In Washington, citizens vote by mailing in their ballots, which are then counted on that date. Accessible voting centers will be open to voters who may have difficulty completing their mail ballot or anyone who prefers to vote in person. Ballot drop boxes also will be available. For more information on voting options or registering to vote, go to the King County elections web page.    

A new state law requiring carbon monoxide detectors in all new and existing single-family residences took effect January 1, 2013. Your home must be equipped with the device when your house is sold or you apply for a building permit for an interior remodel. Carbon monoxide poisoning kills over 500 people each year according to the Centers for Disease Control. The importance of detectors was emphasized by the 2006 wind storms in the Puget Sound area. After the storms, eight people reportedly died of exposure to carbon monoxide and over 1,000 people were hospitalized. Like your smoke detector, your carbon monoxide detector could save your life.

Thanks to a $30,500 King Conservation District (KCD) grant, Newcastle was able to offer public outreach and educational events about conservation, watershed health and noxious weeds during the "Newcastle Goes Green" program. From 2010 to 2012, KCD's grant supported Earth Day with Bert the Salmon, knotweed control training events, mapping, treatment and control efforts. With continued support from KCD, Newcastle can work with residents and volunteers on sustaining and enhancing natural resources. We are looking for your ideas on projects related to balanced water usage, water quality protection, habitat enhancement, farm management/conservation planning, soil health, slope sustainability, native plants, volunteer opportunities, stream restoration and many other natural resource topics. Contact Laura Frolich, Surface Water Engineer, at lauraf@ci.newcastle.wa.us for more information on grant opportunities. Learn more about KCD at the KCD website.

Councilmember Carol Simpson also sends out an email newsletter with Newcastle events and topics of interest. Sign up for her newsletter by sending an email to carols@ci.newcastle.wa.us. Newcastle's police and other staff issue e-alerts and time-sensitive information to people who have provided an email address and indicated an interest, in addition to meeting and event notices. Sign up for e-alerts and/or meeting notices by completing the online form. The City's website is also a great source of local information. Find Newcastle on Facebook and Twitter for timely notices and to provide feedback or receive answers.