The city of Newcastle has won a Municipal Excellence Award by the Association of Washington Cities (AWC) for its city blog, www.newcastle411.com. The award was given in the category of Community Service/Outreach.

When the blog was launched in September of last year, it was one of the first city-run blogs in the nation. It has now become a model for other cities and government agencies looking to connect with the public, Newcastle officials say. Newcastle411.com features news out of City Hall along with police reports, community events, and contributions from residents.

The Newcastle blog set a new readership record in May with more than a quarter of all residents logging on.

“The people of Newcastle make the blog a success,” said Communications Manager Doug Alder. “Over 1000 comments have been left since the blog started. It gives the community a chance to sound off and engage in a conversation with fellow residents.”

The city of Newcastle also uses the city website, the city blog, and a Facebook account to reach out to the community.

The AWC is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan corporation that represents Washington’s cities and towns before the state Legislature, the state executive branch, and regulatory agencies.