Councilwoman Michelle Newman

09/15/2026

Please be aware of a water shutoff on Wednesday, September 16!

09/12/2026

Please take note of a water shutoff this coming Monday, September 14.

09/10/2026

Saturday, September 12 will be busy downtown with the annual Lite the Night Car show! Handy parking tips from our friends at Newark Arcade shared below.

Looking ahead to the weekend in Downtown Newark! The Lite the Nite Car Show is happening this Saturday, September 12th, and we’re excited to see downtown come alive.

With the event, please plan for road closures and limited parking throughout downtown for the day. If you’re heading to the Newark Arcade or exploring downtown, we recommend parking at the parking garage at 32 S. Fourth St., just a short walk from the Arcade’s Fourth Street entrance.

Come enjoy the car show, grab a bite, do a little shopping, and make a day of it downtown. We’ll see you at the Arcade!

09/09/2026

I never had the privilege of knowing Brock Lewis.

I do know his sister, Hollie, and over the past few months she has trusted me enough to share some of Brock’s story with me. I am incredibly grateful for that trust and for her willingness to speak openly about something so deeply painful.

Those conversations have stayed with me. They have deepened and further personalized the way I think about homelessness, mental health, substance use, public safety and the systems we rely on to care for people in our community. They have also added another layer to the questions I ask and the way I think about my responsibility in public service.

Every person we see struggling on our streets is still someone’s person. Someone’s brother, sister, son, daughter, parent or friend. They have a story. They are loved.

Jack Shuler and The Reporting Project have shared Brock’s story, and I believe it is an important one for our community to read. It is difficult and complicated, but it raises questions we should be willing to sit with as we think about how we serve people who are struggling and where gaps may still exist.

I hope you’ll take the time to read it, really read it, and listen to what Brock’s story and Hollie’s experience can teach us.

Thank you, Hollie, for continuing to tell your brother’s story and for challenging all of us to see the humanity in people we too often look past.

Brock Lewis, a 34-year-old, lifelong Newark resident with unforgettable blue eyes, represents a population often overlooked – or looked at with disdain – by society. He was among three unhoused people who died on the streets of Newark this summer.

09/07/2026

Happy Labor Day from Newark!

Mira and I had a great afternoon at the Newark Labor Day Parade, followed by lunch with members of our community hosted by the Licking Knox Muskingum Coshocton Labor Council, AFL-CIO.

Labor Day is a reminder that the strength of our communities has always depended on working people, and that organized labor has played an important role in giving workers a collective voice, advocating for fair treatment, and helping build the protections many of us benefit from today.

I’m grateful for everyone who works every day to keep Newark moving, caring for our neighbors, building our community, and making this a place we’re proud to call home.

Wishing everyone a safe and happy Labor Day!

08/24/2026

NEWARK UPDATE: Crews restored power to all affected customers around 9:30 p.m. Thank you for your patience as they worked as quickly as they safely could to get the lights back on.
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NEWARK: Crews are on site working as quickly as they safely can to restore power to nearly 3,200 customer in the area. We will not stop until the lights are back on. Register for restoration updates at AEPOhio.com/Alerts.

08/11/2026

I know a lot of the seventh ward is still without power. Crews are out working! Please use caution around downed lines.

08/10/2026

I was so sorry to hear about the loss of Jeff Hotchkiss.

I got to know Jeff during my years at Canal Market District, where he became my go-to person whenever something at the Market Pavilion needed a little help. Whether it was figuring out how to get a 15-foot Christmas tree standing upright, dealing with loose bricks, or troubleshooting whatever electrical issue had popped up, Jeff always seemed to know what to do.

I can still picture him cruising up in his truck, window down, arm hanging out the side, ready to laugh with me about whatever problem I had for him that day.

And then he’d get to work.

There never seemed to be a problem Jeff couldn’t handle. He either knew how to fix it or knew exactly who could. He was always friendly, kind and upbeat, and I genuinely looked forward to getting to work with him.

My heart goes out to Jeff’s family, friends and his colleagues with the City of Newark. I’m grateful I had the chance to know him and incredibly grateful for the many years he gave to our community.

Newark is a better place because Jeff was here.

View Jeffrey Hotchkiss's obituary, contribute to their memorial, see their funeral service details, and more.