The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

code red

How to Stay Informed in New Castle

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There are a multitude of options to stay informed about local happenings in New Castle and Millwood–from road closures to parades to water main breaks. Below are several of the most popular:

The New Castle Community E-newsletters

The New Castle Community weekly e-newsletters are free and contain reports from both the Town Supervisor and Town Administrator. These weekly newsletters are a great resource for residents to find out about new developments, local events, sports and recreation opportunities, town board meetings etc. Sign-up is available at mynewcastle.org. The e-newsletter is sent via email each Friday.

Code Red

Utilized by the town as a mass communication system in the event of an emergency, Code Red can deliver phone calls, emails and text messages. Code Red covers emergencies such as evacuation notices, bio-terrorism alerts, boil water notices and missing child reports.

Nixle

Used by the New Castle Police Department, Nixle enables real-time, two-way communication through text, email, voice messages, social media, and the Nixle mobile app. Text alerts can be sent by simply texting your zip code to 888-777. Nixle texts cover things such as power outages or accident scene information.

New Castle Community Media Center (NCCMC)

NCCMC broadcasts public, government and educational material on six channels on cable and covers zoning board meetings, environmental and architectural review board meetings and even town parades.

Inside Press Magazines

Including Inside Chappaqua & Millwood Magazine since 2003, ‘sharing the heart of your community.’ Produces six magazines a year mailed directly to resident homes. All articles are shared into Inside Press social media platforms via the  insidepress.com

Additional Local Media include:

Social Media

On Facebook, follow Chappaqua Moms, Inside Press Magazines, Chappaqua Moms & Dads, Chappaqua Dads, Millwood Moms, New Castle Community Discussions, New Castle Neighbors: Policy & Politics, to keep up with event announcements, breaking news and relevant discussions. Special interest subgroups abound from Chappaqua Moms Sales and Empty Nesters of New Castle to Chappaqua Moms Travel and Buy Nothing/Mount Kisco, Pleasantville and Chappaqua.

Code Red

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When entering the hamlet, a sign promoting Code Red – the new emergency notification system in town, comes into view.  This program enables the town to send out texts, emails and phone calls in the event of an emergency.

When Code Red debuted in January, the first official announcement advised residents about a water main break at the intersection of Route 120 and Seven Bridges Road.  Several people expressed their appreciation of the system to Town Administrator Penny Paderewski, noting that they had altered their routes thereby avoiding the area.  When Storm Nemo arrived, alerts regarding the conditions of local roads were disseminated and news was posted on Facebook and Twitter.

Code Red was implemented by the town in response to feedback by the community.  “People said they weren’t getting enough information from the town during Sandy.  That’s one of the reasons we put it in,” Paderewski said.

The Nixel system will continue to be utilized by the police department for matters concerning public safety.   To receive the code red alerts, a separate registration is required.  “It’s really important that they sign up,” Paderewski continued.  For those who do not have access to the internet, registration may be completed in person at town hall or on the phone.  As of January 29th, 8,232 people had signed up.

Christopher Miller, spokesman for the Office of Emergency Management in NYC said that a similar system, known as Notify NYC, is “just one tool in our toolbox.”  Information is also distributed via Facebook, Twitter and the media.  Notify NYC was used most recently during Hurricane Sandy.  A warning about Storm Nemo was issued by the National Weather Service.