Home Care In Mill Creek, IN

EVERETT — The Mill Creek City Council took a step forward Tuesday in annexing an area to the south of the city, which would grow Mill Creek’s population by more than 50%.

The council voted 6-0 on Tuesday to allow city staff to begin working with the county and the Boundary Review Board to draft a plan for annexation. Council member Vince Cavaleri abstained.

The area includes neighborhoods near 180th Street Southeast and 192nd Street Southeast, with boundaries extending east toward 35th Avenue Southeast and west toward the North Creek Park area. A map of the area is available at millcreekwa.gov/annexation. According to city staff, the area has an estimated 11,700 people, more than half of Mill Creek’s population of about 21,000, per 2025 census data.

Tuesday’s vote does not finalize annexation. In December, the council is scheduled to decide whether to pursue annexation through a vote or through an interlocal agreement with the county. From there, the council would still need to approve a final ordinance. Staff currently estimate annexation would take effect on Jan. 1, 2028.

The proposed annexation area is only a small portion of Mill Creek’s urban growth area, or unincorporated parts of the county that the city is expected to eventually annex, as designated by the county. The total municipal growth area has a population of more than 52,000, the highest in Snohomish County, according to the county’s 2024 comprehensive plan.

The city has been studying annexation for more than two years, staff said Tuesday. In July, the City Council voted to focus on the south area for the first annexation phase. If the city moves forward, it will be its first annexation since 2008, according to the city website.

In the next three to five years, the council has expressed interest in annexing the eastern part of the growth area, which extends east to Sunset Road and areas east of Seattle Hill Road.

With Tuesday’s vote, the city will now begin community engagement within the southern neighborhood. Some council members said they’d like to see town halls and other public events regarding annexation before December.

Council members said annexation would provide the city with a more diverse revenue stream moving forward. According to financial projections from a city-hired consulting firm, bringing the south portion into the city will generate an estimated $2.7 million in the first year and $5.3 million per year by 2045. The projections take into account potential costs of maintaining North Creek Park and Mays Pond Park, which are both part of the proposed area.

“The reality is, right now, we cannot afford to keep giving (residents) a high level of service without continuing to go up and up and up on their taxes on their housing, and there’s only so much that we can do that to everybody,” Mayor Stephanie Vignal said. “So if we’re going to continue to maintain high quality services, high quality parks, the high quality amenities that everyone looks at us for, then we’re going to have to figure out a way to diversify that income stream, and, to me, this is the way that we’re going to look at doing that.”

Cavaleri said he abstained from the vote because he doesn’t believe the financial projections accurately reflect larger financial trends, including the housing market.

“There might be an initial sugar high, but I don’t trust the data,” he said. “Annexation isn’t always the big windfall you had hoped it would be, but I also realize that annexation is tied to everything else that the city wants to do.”

City staff said Tuesday that annexation would put the city in a stronger long-term financial position and provide more revenue for large city projects, including the South Town Center and DRCC campus.

“I do believe that annexation could and most likely is gonna be a net-positive step in our long term financial viability if we want to keep a clean, safe and well-maintained city for the people who live here now, let alone the folks that don’t live here yet,” council member Sean Paddock said.

Other cities, including Edmonds and Everett, are currently exploring annexation.

During public comment, 13-year resident Hilary Bublitz spoke in favor of annexation.

“Legislators in Olympia are pushing for increasing density, particularly along the I-5 corridor,” she said. “Mill Creek is right in the middle of that growth. We can be spectators as the communities around us change, or we can position ourselves to influence that change. Either way, change is coming.”

Jenna Peterson: 425-339-3486; [email protected]; X: @jennarpetersonn.

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — The Calvert County Department of Public Works, Water & Sewerage Division, is notifying the public of a wastewater overflow that occurred at the pumping station located at 204 Prince Frederick Blvd. in Prince Frederick. An estimated 500,000 gallons of untreated wastewater was released into Mill Creek. 27-052 Overflow 093026

On the morning of Monday, Sept. 28, staff identified abnormal flow readings and pump run times at the pumping station. Crews immediately responded, brought the flow under control and completed disinfection of the affected area with lime by approximately 9:30 a.m.

The Calvert County Health Department and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) were notified in accordance with state reporting requirements.

The overflow is believed to have resulted from damage caused by recent heavy rainfall. Significant storm-related erosion undermined the streambank, causing it to collapse onto an exposed sewer line. The damaged sewer line fractured, allowing untreated wastewater to discharge into Mill Creek.

The incident did not affect drinking water quality or wastewater service to customers.

County staff have stabilized the site and are working with engineering consultants and MDE to evaluate the damage and develop a permanent repair for the sewer line. The county will continue to monitor the area throughout the repair process.

As a precaution, the Calvert County Health Department’s Division of Environmental Health advises residents and visitors to avoid direct contact with the waters of Mill Creek in the affected area for 10 days, through Oct. 8, 2026.

For questions about the wastewater overflow, contact the Department of Public Works, Water & Sewerage Division, at 410-535-2204, or email [email protected]. For more information on protective actions and recommendations contact the Calvert County Health Department at 410-535-5400.

Find information on Calvert County Government services online at www.CalvertCountyMd.gov. Stay connected with Calvert County Government through the mobile app, newsletters, social media and more at www.CalvertCountyMd.gov/StayInformed.

The owner of Shoppes at Mill Creek Forest is seeking a Planned Unit Development modification that would convert a large share of its unbuilt office space into retail, citing decreased demand for office space since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The St. Johns County Planning and Zoning Agency recommended approval of the modification with a unanimous vote Oct. 1.

The request, filed on behalf of property owner Helow Properties Ltd., would convert 120,000 square feet of permitted professional office space into 41,500 square feet of commercial/retail space, based on what the applicant says is an equivalent traffic impact. The Shoppes at Mill Creek Forest is a commercial and retail development located near Greenbriar Road and Longleaf Pine Parkway in northwest St. Johns County

A PUD allows uses, regulations and standards tailored to a property.

If approved, the PUD’s maximum commercial/retail space would grow from 399,000 to 440,500 square feet, while its maximum office space would shrink from 135,000 to 15,000 square feet.

The overall nonresidential development cap for the site would decrease to 455,500 square feet from 534,000 — a net reduction of 78,500 square feet. The remaining development balance for the site would fall from 302,553 to 224,053 square feet.

The 124-acre PUD is at the southeast and southwest quadrants of Greenbriar Road and Longleaf Pine Parkway and is 43.3% built-out, according to the county’s staff report.

The site is currently developed with tenants including a 7-Eleven, AutoZone, Wendy’s, Mavis Tire & Brake, a Fifth Third Bank branch, Chase Bank, Dunkin’ and a Community First Credit Union.

The application also seeks to extend the PUD’s completion deadline to 2041, up from the original 2033 date, and to update the project’s sign plan and access management plan to reflect prior approvals and existing conditions on the ground.

Kimley-Horn and Associates, representing the applicant, held a required neighborhood meeting Sept. 14 at Bartram Trail High School, drawing a handful of members of the public.

Attendees raised questions about traffic generation, site access, building locations and the interaction between the PUD, the school and an adjacent development.

One resident expressed concern about the broad range of uses still permitted under the PUD, which include truck stops, nightclubs, funeral homes and more.

The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to hear the request Nov. 3.

Millcreek — The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources will be coordinating with several partners — including the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and Trout Unlimited — to conduct a treatment on a portion of Mill Creek in the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest to help restore native Bonneville cutthroat trout.

Nearly a decade ago, DWR biologists successfully treated over 10 miles of Mill Creek to remove non-native rainbow and brown trout and help establish native Bonneville cutthroat trout. Unfortunately, someone illegally introduced brook trout within the canyon, causing threats to native fish species in the area.

"An angler reported catching a brook trout in Mill Creek a few years ago, and we later confirmed them in parts of the creek," DWR Central Region Aquatics Manager Chris Crockett said. "We know these fish were illegally introduced because even before the previous treatments in 2013-2016, there were no brook trout in Mill Creek. The selfish and illegal actions of an individual are now endangering native trout and costing anglers valuable resources that could be used elsewhere."

In Utah, it is illegal to transport live fish or to introduce them into a new location and can result in a class A misdemeanor, which could result in up to one year of jail time and up to a $2,500 fine.

"We will not manage for illegally-introduced species, so any future illegal fish introductions in this area will result in similar removal efforts," DWR Sportfish Coordinator Trina Hedrick said. "We are trying to restore native cutthroat trout to key places around the state, and cutthroat trout and other competing trout species aren’t compatible in these identified conservation areas. There are additional fishing opportunities for brook trout in several nearby waterbodies."

Treatment area and timeline

In order to remove the illegally-introduced brook trout, the DWR will be conducting a rotenone treatment in the impacted portions of Mill Creek on Sept. 1, pending poor weather conditions. The full treatment area will include 3.1 miles of the creek, stretching from Church Fork down to the I-215 bridge crossing. Fish mortality will primarily be confined to above the mouth of Mill Creek Canyon. The treatment will last roughly two days.

Rotenone is a natural substance that comes from the roots of a tropical plant in the bean family. It is a respiratory toxin to fish, but it is not dangerous to people, pets or other wildlife, especially in the extremely low quantities that biologists use to treat streams and lakes. However, there will be crews and equipment in the area during the treatments, so the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest will be temporarily closing the impacted areas (primarily the creek) to public access. The public and their pets should stay out of these areas during the treatments, so that the DWR can safely and effectively complete the projects. The public may also temporarily notice a purple tint to the water downstream of the U.S. Forest Service boundary from a substance used to deactivate the rotenone, so that no fish are lost below the canyon.

"The treatment area (basically the creek) will be temporarily closed, but the closure will not impact access to hiking trails or other recreational amenities," DWR Central Region Outreach Manager Michael Packer said. "Only the lower portion of Mill Creek below Church Fork will be closed during the treatment, and the area will be signed."

A series of two to three treatments is the standard protocol for effective removal of non-native trout. The second Mill Creek treatment will likely occur later in September or will be scheduled for the fall of 2027.

Why rotenone treatments are done

Habitat loss, spawning with non-native trout and competition from non-native trout have caused dramatic declines in native cutthroat trout populations around the West, leading to concerns about the species' future.

"These treatments will help to create a population of cutthroat trout that will contribute to the conservation of native cutthroat trout species and prevent them from being listed under the Endangered Species Act," Crockett said. "In addition to increasing the diversity of angling opportunities, these project treatments will help the native fish and ensure cutthroat trout populations improve."

Fishing opportunities

Before the treatment begins, biologists will safely catch and save as many cutthroat trout as possible. These fish will be held on-site and released back into the creek once the water is safe for fish. The salvaged Bonneville cutthroat trout and fish upstream of the treatment site will quickly repopulate the treated area.

"Anglers will encounter slightly reduced cutthroat trout numbers after the treatment as the fish spread out, but nearby upstream areas will not be impacted," DWR Central Region Sportfish Project Leader Mike Slater said. "Anglers wanting to target cutthroat trout in the area can go above Church Fork to take advantage of higher fish numbers and great small-stream fishing for native cutthroat trout."

After the treatment, the DWR also plans to stock juvenile (fingerling) cutthroat trout this fall throughout the drainage.

If you have questions about the upcoming treatments, you can call the DWR Springville office at 801-491-5678.

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — Part of a key cut-through road in northwest Atlanta is closed after overnight damage, according to an Atlanta City Council member.

A water valve failure caused a buttress wall of the Moores Mill Road bridge over Peachtree Creek to collapse, closing the bridge, Councilmember Dustin Hillis

Atlanta Watershed Management officials said the damage was caused after a “heavy vehicle struck the bridge, compromising its structural integrity and damaging a water line.”

City officials told Atlanta News First a heavy vehicle hit the bridge, in addition to the water valve failure. Officials said the city is investigating whether the heavy vehicle compromised the bridge or if the water valve failure did.

Neighbors told Atlanta News First the road is a popular cut-through route.

“Definitely gets backed up around school time in the morning,” said George, who lives on Moores Mill Road. “A lot of private schools in the area, as well as people coming home from work.”

The bridge will remain closed through at least Oct. 26 as engineers conduct an assessment, Hillis wrote in his post.

“Even if it is reopened or only repaired, this bridge will continue to be a top priority for replacement for Districts 9 and 8, as it is over 100 years old and has had a number of issues over the years,” wrote Hillis, who represents District 9.

Below are the detours for the area:

George believes the detours and the construction will be a major inconvenience.

“For me personally, I have a newborn at home, so all the beeping and construction to come is not going to be fun,” he said.

This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First for updates.