Two cluster mailboxes in Lakewood were burglarized and mail stolen in the last few weeks, the Postal Service says. No damage occurred because the culprits apparently have a master key and unlocked the boxes. A few curbside mailboxes also have been disturbed. Our mail carrier suggests all Lakewood residents – those with both cluster boxes and individual curbside boxes – pick up their mail promptly, just before the end of every day, to minimize the chance of any further thefts.

The $500 million redo of Loop 360 is underway – and probably years from reaching the Lakewood intersection, based on published reports.

The Texas Department of Public Transportation and the City of Austin plan to upgrade 10 intersections along the Loop 360 corridor in five projects over 14 miles from U.S. 183 north to U.S. 290 and Texas 71. Each project covers two intersections and will take two to three years to complete. Each project also will require a new funding request, with most funds coming from the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the city’s 2016 Austin mobility bond.

Stop lights will be removed and overpasses and underpasses added to the intersections, TxDOT says. The first two are Westlake Drive/Cedar Street in 2023, followed by Courtyard Drive at RM 2222 just north of Pennybacker Bridge in 2026.

The third and fourth projects – at Lakewood Drive/Spicewood Sprigs and MoPac to RR 2244 (Bee Caves Road) have not been funded, according to the Community Impact newspaper. Traffic signals would be removed at the Loop 360 main lanes and overpasses added at Lakewood Drive.

An earlier plan for the Lakewood Drive at 360 intersection that would have removed the large oak tree at the entrance has been scrapped and plans for the roadway shifted 50 feet east.

Keep track of the project and sign up for a newsletter with updates at loop360project.com.

The holidays are here! Let’s get together for the Lakewood HOA’s holiday party at the HOA Clubhouse on Sunday, Dec. 18!

Bring the kids for a cookie decorating party from 3 to 4:30 p.m., followed by an adults’ BYOB happy hour from 5:30 to 7 p.m., with light snacks and hot chocolate and cider.

The recent fall festival saw a strong turnout, and many of you made it clear that Lakewood should hold more community events on a regular basis. We think so, too. Please put “save the date” on your calendar for Dec. 18. And tell your neighbors!

Join us for a fall festival at the Lakewood HOA Park on Lakewood Drive, near the pool and clubhouse from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15. Yummy treats and drinks will be provided.

The Austin Fire Department will be on hand to answer your fire safety-related questions. Get to know your neighbors and join the fun! See you there!

A few precautions can greatly increase your safety and your home’s chance of survival during a wildfire. It’s not too difficult to protect your home from one of a wildfire’s biggest threats:  flying embers.

Fast-moving wind can carry these fiery little chunks of wood from an intense wildfire, sometimes more than a mile away. They can reach the smallest places and easily start a fire that can burn down a home.  

The Texas A&M Forest Service says materials used to build your home can determine whether your home will survive a wildfire, and you can take steps to increase your home’s chance of survival from flying embers.

Here are a few steps that most anyone can take:

• Look for gaps in roofing that can expose your roof decking or supports, and place angle flashing over openings between the roof decking and fascia board.
• Install a one-eighth-inch metal screen behind roof or attic vents, keeping embers out while allowing air flow for ventilation. Clean vents to keep them free of debris.
• Check exterior walls and cover any crevices or holes that could catch embers.

That’s just the beginning. Learn more about protecting your home from fiery embers at this forest service handout and this NFPA Fact Sheet on Embers