Tag Archives: kirkland

Local, Splendid Saturday

Spencer are you out there? Your lost teddy bear from the 90s has been found and wants to come home!

[KIRKLAND, Wash] – (MTN) Ellen Noir was going through a dresser in her spare bedroom when she made a discovery tucked behind a drawer. Lost for 25 years, a handmade-looking teddy bear with the name Spencer on its ear and the date June 13, 1996, was found.

“My roommate bought the dresser second-hand in the late 90s while living here in Kirkland, but he doesn’t remember where,” she wrote.

The bear looks homemade, with button eyes and roughly cut blue tartan ears, paws, and face. On the backside of the ear in black ink is the name Spencer and the date.

The name and date inscribed on the ear of the teddy bear

Ms. Noir is looking to reunite Spencer with his family. “The fact that someone wrote a name and date on it made me wonder if there was some grownup named Spencer out there who still remembers losing this little guy.”

What has been pieced together is that sometime between 1996 and 1999, the bear became lost behind a dresser drawer, and the dresser itself ended up at a second-hand store in Kirkland. Ms. Noir’s roommate bought the dresser in 1998 or 1999, not knowing the bear was there. Up until this weekend, the small bear has been lost to the world.

The dresser that the teddy bear was found in – the bear was stuck behind one of the drawers

If you know who this bear belongs to or the story behind this lost toy, you can contact Malcontent News. Let’s get this lost bear home!

Local

Truckbane, Kirkland’s “truck eating bridge” claims another victim

Gallery

[KIRKLAND, Wash] – (MTN) Truckbane, the infamous “truck eating bridge” of Kirkland had a close encounter of the worst kind with an over-height Mayflower Movers box truck. The eastbound 12’6″ truck became firmly wedged under the 11’6″ overpass, leaving bits of aluminum on the pavement and a battered roof from above. No one was injured and no other vehicles were involved in the incident.

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Around 6:30 PM, the truck embedded itself into the maw of the old railroad trestle, becoming the third vehicle to strike the bridge in less than two weeks. The truck was carrying cargo, but it appeared undamaged. The driver was rattled and didn’t want to make a statement.

A heavy-duty wrecker arrived about one hour after Truckbane fed, and pulled the prey from out of its gaping maw. The screech of metal echoed through the neighborhood as the box broke free.

On Saturday a group of citizens did a banner drop on the westbound side. It appears it may have saved a truck from being consumed by Truckbane on Monday morning. Some onlookers on the Cross Kirkland Corridor mused that the latest meal may not have happened if there was a second banner on the other side.

In December of 2020, the city added a dozen signs to warn drivers of the truck-eating bridge. The bridge’s location, architecture, and the traffic on Kirkland Way create a unique set of traffic engineering challenges.

Local

That didn’t take long – community banner at Kirkland “truck eating bridge” credited with first save

[KIRKLAND, Wash] – (MTN) On Saturday evening a group of residents hung a warning banner above “Truckbane,” the infamous truck-eating bridge in Kirkland. Less than 48 hours later, the sign has been credited with its first save.

Debbie Smith McLeod has photographed 45 trucks stuck under, or badly damaged after squeezing through the underpass over the past few years. A white box truck almost became her 46th subject.

“9:42 AM Monday. I heard the brakes squeal, he (or she – any stats on that?) was able to stop short and back away,” she wrote in a Facebook community group.

Due to the complexity and location of the intersection, a range of improvements suggested by the community is not possible. The retired Northern Pacific railroad bridge is part of the Cross Kirkland Corridor. The corridor is a rail to trails project that is heavily used and replacing the bridge is cost-prohibitive.

The banner became a hot topic in multiple social media groups only hours after it was hung on Saturday night, receiving high praise and speculation if it would make a difference.

Photo credit: Debbie Smith McLeod

Local

Infamous truck eating bridge in Kirkland gets a guerilla makeover

[KIRKLAND, Wash] – (MTN) On Saturday evening, a group of residents placed a warning banner on an infamous Kirkland bridge that frequently “eats” trucks due to the 11’6″ clearance. According to Kirkland officials, the retired Northern Pacific railway bridge located at Kirkland Way and Railroad Ave is cosmetically battered but structurally sound despite dozens of close encounters of the worst kind.

Marked on Google Maps as a tourist attraction as Truckbane, the Truck-Eating Bridge, a combination of low clearance, unique geography, and the street layout makes it challenging to create a better solution to warn truck drivers.

The bridge has become so famous in Kirkland it has its own Instagram and at least two Facebook pages. Local social media lights up with pictures and comments every time Truckbane claims another victim. In a recent Tweet by the Kirkland Police Department, a sketch artist drew what appears to be Truckbane revealing its true self. Just this past week, Truckbane was able to feed twice.

Kirkland police investigating another “kill,” caught this short video of truckbane before it disappeared down the cross kirkland trail

In December of 2020, Kirkland officials installed 12 new signs to supplement the existing signage warning of the low overpass. Despite the additional warnings, Truckbane continues to feed on unsuspecting vehicles.

At a thousand feet out, the first signs warn of a low bridge ahead. At 700 feet, two more signs warn of a low overheight bridge with 11’6″ clearance. Approximately 300 feet away, a final sign warns that overheight vehicles must turn onto an alternative road to avoid the bridge. Then, at both intersections, an additional sign indicates again that overheight trucks must turn. 

City engineers have stated that having a suspended overheight sign isn’t possible. Because the bridge is part of the Cross Kirkland Trail and in a combined residential and light industrial area, the city is concerned a snapped cable could strike a pedestrian. Having an overheight detector isn’t possible either because of Department of Transportation requirements on its location, making it unfeasible due to the unique intersection.

Some have suggested lowering the road under the bridge, creating more clearance, but the road already sits at a low spot. Additional lowering could create drainage problems and would come with an expensive price tag. Others have suggested replacing the bridge itself with more clearance, but it is impractical from a cost perspective. 

Truckbane feeds exclusively out of sight. Due to the Cross Kirkland Trail location, the trestle, and the intersection layout, no homes or businesses have a clear view. Despite numerous appeals for a webcam to capture Truckbane hunting its prey, photographers have only been able to get shots after a kill.

Complicating things, Kirkland Way is frequently used as a bypass to move between downtown and access to I-405 at 85th. Apps such as Waze, Google Maps, and Apple Maps recommend Kirkland Way as an alternate route to bypass traffic. For southbound drivers, a blind turn obscures the bridge until it’s too late if they didn’t notice the signs – and despite the city’s best efforts, drivers are missing the signs.

The banner serves as a final warning for drivers now but the city of 90,000 wonders, when will Truckbane strike again?

Breaking News, Local, Terra Firma, Weather

Wildfires erupt from BC to California – smoke arrives in Puget Sound on Friday

[KIRKLAND] – (MTN) In Canada, 54 wildfires have erupted in the last 48 hours, causing evacuations and burning the village of Lytton, while smoke from wildfires in Oregon and California has already drifted into Washington state – smoke season is here. Smoke density is light to moderate and at higher altitudes, so air quality remains good. Still, forecast models indicating significant smoke will be arriving from the Fraser Valley into Whatcom County and working its way southward on Friday.

NOAA High Resolution Rapid Refresh map showing high altitude smoke blanketing most of Washington state in the next 24 hours

Air quality in western Washington could be called superior today, while many stations in eastern Washington are reporting moderate air pollution. Around Kamloops, British Columbia air quality is unhealthy and deteriorating.

Heavier smoke from Canada is expected to arrive along the Washington border on Friday morning. Weather conditions will keep most of the smoke aloft. Models indicate that smoke may settle into central Puget Sound on Friday night, dropping air quality to moderate levels. At this time, there is nothing in the forecast or model to support dangerous levels of air pollution in the next few days.

The ongoing long-term drought and record setting heat has been devastating for British Columbia forests. Bark beetles have destroyed millions of acres of softwood trees. The beetles hatch simultaneously during periods of high temperatures and voraciously chew their way through trees. The dead trees have no commercial value and have created millions of acres of wildfire fuel.

The worst wildfires in Canada tore through the village of Lytton, British Columbia, yesterday with almost no warning. Residents were ordered to evacuate immediately, and many escaped with only their pets and the clothes on their backs. The mayor stated, “the whole town is on fire,” yesterday. Canadian officials believe the fire was human-caused.

Lytton made international news on Tuesday when the temperature reached 49.6 degrees Centigrade, almost 122 degrees, and an all-time record high for Canada. In contrast, the highest temperature ever recorded in Las Vegas, Nevada, stands at 117 degrees.

In California, the Lava Fire, which was started by lightning, has burned 17,591 acres and is only 19% contained, according to Mount Shasta News. The fire is burning on the outskirts of Weed, California. The Tennant Fire started on Monday and has grown to 8,159 acres and is only 6% contained.

Last night evacuation orders were issued for the residents of Antelope Sink and Bray, California.

In Oregon, Governor Kate Brown declared a wildfire emergency yesterday to provide aid in response to a significant fire near Redmond. Yesterday the airport in Redmond was forced to close due to smoke, and 100 residents in Wasco County received “go-now” evacuation orders. The Wrentham Market Fire has grown to over 10,000 acres. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has activated 40 people to help fight the conflagration. According to the Oregon State Fire Marshal, high winds yesterday made fighting the fire a challenge and caused several flare ups. Two buildings have been destroyed, but no homes at this time.

There are no significant wildfires in Washington at this time, but officials from the local to the state level are deeply concerned about the coming Fourth of July holiday and human-caused fires in the coming days. Some communities, such as Bellevue and Mercer Island, have made emergency declarations banning all outdoor fires, including those in approved fire pits and even charcoal grilles. Kirkland opted not to declare an outright ban, but Kirkland Fire Chief Joe Sanford made a public appeal for the community not to have any outdoor fires.

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statement by kirkland fire chief joe sanford

The Pacific Northwest, northern California, and western Canada are reeling after a record crushing heatwave sent temperatures soaring well into the hundreds over the entire region for 3 to 5 days. Heat-related death reports from British Columbia to Oregon now number in the hundreds, and officials were finding people who had died in their homes from apparent heatstroke on Wednesday during welfare checks. Washington state is still analyzing fatality data.

Three-hundred-and-fifty-eight people had to be hospitalized due to heat-related injuries throughout western Washington and over 1,000 were sent to emergency rooms. Hospital officials stated that the patient load was similar to the worst days of the COVID pandemic at the peak of the heatwave.

The National Multi-Agency Coordination Group (NMAC) is at Level 4 preparedness, the second earliest the United States has reached this level.

Central Puget sound has experienced significant wildfire smoke every year except one, since 2015.

Local

Juanita Beach in Kirkland closed due to elevated bacteria levels

[KIRKLAND] – (MTN) King County officials have closed the swimming area at Juanita Beach Park for at least a week due to bacteria levels that exceed safety standards. The swimming area frequently closes in the summer months in recent years. The water around Juanita Bay is stagnant in the summer months, and a combination of waterfowl, seasonal stickleback die off, and our historic heat was a perfect storm for the early than normal closure.

Water quality staff from the King County Water and Land Resources Division tested the water on Tuesday, June 29, and found that the levels of bacteria on the eastern shore of the beach exceeded the thresholds for bacteria based on the average of the last three tests. King County crews will return to the beach next week to collect further samples. The beach at Juanita Beach Park will reopen when bacteria levels return to a safe range.

People and pets should not swim, drink lake water, or engage in other water activities at Juanita Beach.

Signs have been positioned to indicate that the beach is closed. City lifeguards will be onsite during the closure to communicate with beachgoers and provide information.

French Toast Emergency, Local

Can you bake cookies in your car on a 111-degree day in Kirkland? Yes

[KIRKLAND] – (MTN) Twitter, YouTube, and Tik Tok were full of videos of people cooking eggs, bacon, pancakes, and cookies on decks, pavement, and in cars. Yesterday we put this to test using our company truck, which had been sitting all day and facing west.

We got off to a late start, putting the cookies into the General Motors built oven at 4:01 PM. We had planned for 2 hours, but many of you suggested we should go for 4 hours. A check at 6:15 PM showed we had a hot mess, as some of you voted. We didn’t open up the door to check because we wanted to retain as much heat as possible.

By 7:30 PM, it was still 108 degrees outside, but the sun had sunk low enough to our west that it was starting to get filtered by trees. The thermometer we put on the dashboard showed the interior had dropped to 140, but the cookies looked – done.

The tops were surprisingly chewy, while the very bottom could have benefited from a bit more heat. That may be our fault because we put a silicone sheet under the baking tray, thinking it would protect the dashboard. After we set up the cookies, we learned a car’s dashboard could get to 200 degrees, so any fears that the heated metal baking tray would damage the vehicle were unfounded.

If you like your cookies soft, these were nearly perfect. If you like your cookies with a crunch, like one of our unofficial testers, these were a nope.

Can you bake cookies in your car on a hot day? Yes, if you like them soft baked. If you’re wondering what the inside of the truck smells like, it smells like a bakery.

Breaking News, Local

King County Sheriff reports body found in Lake Washington drowning

[KIRKLAND] – (MTN) The King County Sheriff’s Office has reported that in cooperation with the United States Coast Guard, the body of a 32-year old man who disappeared after falling off an innertube near O.O. Denny Park in Kirkland was found this afternoon. The Sheriff Department tweeted the body has been found about a 1/4 mile offshore, and at a depth of 145 feet.

On Sunday, reports came in around 6:00 PM for three people who fell off an inner tube being towed behind a boat in Lake Washington. Two people were rescued, but a third still unidentified person could not be located.

Officials started a search that was suspended on Sunday night and restarted Monday at dawn. Officials declared on Sunday night that the search was becoming a recovery, but still held out some hope that the victim might be found alive. News helicopters circled over Juanita Bay in Kirkland yesterday as the grim search continued.

There were 5 drownings in area lakes in the last week and multiple rescue operations. Although temperatures may soar to 100 degrees this weekend and an Excessive Heat Watch was issued by the National Weather Service, area lakes, rivers, and Puget Sound remain dangerously cold.

Breaking News, Local

UPDATED: Recovery operation for a missing man who fell off innertube into Lake Washington

[KIRKLAND] – (MTN) King County officials stated that a search for a man who fell of an innertube into Lake Washington has become a recovery operation. Reports came in around 6:00 PM for three people who fell off an innertube being towed behind a boat near O.O. Denny Park. Two people were rescued, but a third person could not be located.

Officials suspended their search overnight and restarted at dawn on Monday. It is reported the man is a father of three. There were 3 drownings in area lakes over the weekend and several rescue operations. Although temperatures may soar into the 90s over the next week, area lakes, rivers, and Puget Sound remain dangerously cold.

BIPOC, Breaking News, Local

Lake Washington School District site hacked by white nationalists

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[KIRKLAND] – (MTN) White Nationalists hacked the Lake Washington School District website and replaced the homepage and other resources with offensive and racist content on Thursday. Reports of the site being defaced spread quickly on social media during the afternoon hours.

The website was restored briefly by officials, but moments later returned to its defaced state. The content was so offensive, Facebook was removing screenshots of images people were sharing.

Additionally, some people received an offensive message from a school district e-mail address named, “Very Important! Heil Hitler.” The content contained the same graphic and a similar message that was on the website.

The homepage of the website displayed a small graphic of what appeared to be a woman dressed as a German World War II SS soldier and a swastika. The site then had a list of racial slurs and praised Brenton Tarrant, Anders Breivik, Timothy McVeigh, and Dylann Roof. Brenton Tarrant was a mass killer in New Zealand, Anders Breivik a mass killer in Norway, Timothy McVeigh was the Oklahoma City Bomber, and Dylann Roof executed nine people in a historic Black church in South Carolina.

The Lake Washington School District released the following statement:

Just after 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 17, we received reports of a hack to our district’s website and all of its pages. The page that was presented as part of the hack included vile, disgusting and disturbing language that is filled with hate, racism and is completely unacceptable. Lake Washington School District (LWSD) does not, in any way, condone this type of language and we are saddened that this action is intentionally trying to hurt people of certain races and cultures. We will get to the bottom of this hack and in the meantime we want to apologize to everyone who had to see this page, and we especially want to say our sincerest apologies to anyone who may have felt personally impacted by this. LWSD is committed to all of our students, staff and families, and in this moment, we stand united in protecting our community as anti-racist educators and leaders. We will continue to provide updates as necessary.

Editor’s note: Our service agreements with Google News and NewsBreak prevent us from sharing these images on those services. If you want to see the photo gallery you will need to visit using a PC, Mac, iOS, or Android web browser such as Chrome, Edge, or Safari. Viewer discretion is advised.

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The image also declared, “long live Evropa,” and 14/88.

Evropa is a possible reference to Identity Evropa, a white nationalist group that is aligned to identity politics. On May 31, 2020, Identity Evropa created a fake Twitter account declaring that Antifa and Black Lives Matter protesters were coming to the suburban and rural areas on June 1, initiating near panic in some communities, including the local town of Snohomish.

The number 14 is code for 14 words, a white nationalist view of, “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white children,” according to the ADL. The 88 is code for “Heil Hitler,” with H being the eighth letter in the alphabet.

The Lake Washington School District website currently has a single message, “We’re experiencing technical difficulties and are working on restoring service. Thank you for your patience.”

Dylann Roof, a person highlighted in the hack, executed 9 Black members of the Emanuel African American Methodist Episcopal Church six years ago today. The timing of the hack may just be coincidental, or coordinated to commemorate the horrific event.

Roof was taken alive by police in Shelby, North Carolina, who received harsh criticism for taking him to Burger King before booking him into jail. Roof boldly confessed to the massacre and stated to authorities he hoped to start a Race War. His racist views were formed after the 2012 death of Trayvon Martin. He was convicted of 33 crimes in federal court on December 15, 2016, and 13 additional state crimes in South Carolina on March 31, 2017. He was sentenced to death in federal court and made a plea deal to serve nine consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole in South Carolina.

Roof appealed his death sentence in federal court on May 25, 2021.