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 Winter storm
The National Weather Service in Wichita is forecasting a major winter storm this weekend. Freezing drizzle will develop Saturday morning, transitioning to freezing rain/sleet late Saturday afternoon to Saturday night before turning to snow Sunday morning. The combination of snow/ice/wind gusts up to 50 mph will create difficult or impossible travel.
In preparation for the anticipated storm, City staff are:
- Applying salt brine to the snow route.
- Equipping trucks with salt spreaders and plows. (4 spreader/plow trucks, 1 plow truck)
- Testing the spreaders and plows to ensure they are still in good working order.
- Ensuring all other equipment (grader/loaders) that may be used are ready for service.
- Assigning personnel.
- Monitoring weather forecasts.
When freezing rain and snow begins in Newton, we encourage you to stay off the roads as much as possible. But if you have to travel in town, please try to use the roads on the City's snow route. These are the roads that will be treated by City crews. A map of the route can be found here.
 Public Works
Street Maintenance
This week, staff finished the concrete work for the new batting cages at Railer Field in Centennial Park (above). Newton Recreation Commission staff will finish the cage installation next.
Engineering
Newton finished the year with 119 new residential living units pulling permits in 2024. This is the most in the past eight years.
| Annual Housing Starts |
| 2018 |
11 |
| 2019 |
9 |
| 2020 |
15 |
| 2021 |
13 |
| 2022 |
37 |
| 2023 |
24 |
| 2024 |
119 |
Water/Wastewater
This week our staff:
- Responded to seven after-hours calls.
- Shut off 80 water services due to non-payment.
- Installed seven new water services in Summer Crossing and Fox Ridge Additions.
- Installed some sewer root control treatment on a sewer main line.
Fire/EMS
Firefighter/paramedic Dillon Richardson is currently deployed to Naval Base Guam and spent this holiday season away from family and loved ones. He is assigned to Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 8, where he is part of an embarked security team, supporting operations in the Pacific Ocean. The City of Newton wishes him a safe and happy new year as he makes sacrifices in the service of our country.
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Recycling Report
The City's recycling contractor, Nisly Brothers, reports that about 46 tons of recyclables were collected in Newton in the fourth quarter of 2024, with 473 active customers. No major problems were reported.
Upcoming Events
- Newton Wrestling Tournament of Champions, Jan. 15-18 at Newton High School.
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Celebrate Kansas Day!, 12-4 p.m. Jan. 25 at Kauffman Museum.
See all of the upcoming events at our Community Events listing on Choose-Newton.com.
Meetings & Reminders:
- 6 p.m. Jan. 6 – Planning Commission meeting
- 7:30 a.m. Jan. 9 – City Commission agenda review
- 7 p.m. Jan. 14 – City Commission meeting
- Jan. 20 – City offices closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- 7:30 a.m. Jan. 23 – City Commission agenda review
- 7 p.m. Jan. 28 – City Commission meeting
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