A Season of Giving

SantaYou can help to make the season a little brighter for those who are less fortunate by participating in a couple of different programs being offered here in Lake Oswego.

270,000 people per month eat meals from emergency food boxes provided by the Oregon Food Bank. Of those, 92,000 are children. Your donations are important, and needed. The City of Lake Oswego is accepting non-perishable food now through December 28th at City Hall, 380 A Avenue.

In addition, the Lake Oswego Fire Department and Library are conducting a Christmas Toy Drive. Drop off new, unwrapped toys at the Main Fire Station (300 B Avenue) or the Lake Oswego Library (706 4th Street) between now and 12pm on December 21st.

With a little effort, we can all make the season brighter.

What’s in a Name?

If you’ve been reading the blotter for awhile, you know that we got the name of our blog by borrowing the Police Blotter from the Lake Oswego Review. The local newspaper does a weekly publication that along with showcasing local schools, businesses, and people, it posts the previous week’s police activity.

The Lake Oswego Police Department has a 100% response policy. That means that when you call, they show up, no matter what. So reading the police blotter can be rather entertaining. Below is from the previous two weeks.

7/23/12 1:15am. Apples are being chucked at a house on Aspen Street.

7/24/12 9:59am. A woman reported finding all kinds of things on her property on North Shore Road, including bicycles, helmets, and a surf board.

7/24/12 1:03pm. Four citations were slapped on a vehicle illegally parked at Lake View Village.

7/24/12 10:51pm. Several teens are jumping in and out of hedges and running around yards in a late-night frolic on Royce Way. Later they were honking horns and chasing each other in cars.

7/25/12 9:04am. Somebody placed a small beagle n a yard on Sierra Ct, then blocked a hole under the fence with wood so the pooch could not get out.

7/26/12 10:42pm. Hearty voices raised in song were heard coming from a pub on B Avenue.

7/26/12 11:43pm. A driver passed out in the middle State Street. He was not drunk but exhausted from his airline flight.

7/28/12 1:16pm. Condolea Drive was the site of a strange incident in which a pot was moved, two large plants were damaged and underwear was thrown into trees.

7/30/12 10:51am. A cat in a pot was discovered in a complex on Foothills Drive.

7/31/12 9:54am. A woman has decided to keep a pair of old handcuffs that she originally wanted to turn in to police.

8/1/12 9:34am. After buying a house, a person looked inside the garage and found 22 lights, causing suspicions that marijuana may be being cultivated inside the house.

8/1/12 8:48am. A female is dancing on the sidewalk, crossing the street and waving at people on B Avenue. It is suspected she may be high on more than life.

8/2/12 2:39pm. A missing St. Bernard named Myia was returned to its owner.

8/2/12 9:16pm. Five teenaged boys, four of them 16, had to clean up the mess from the garbage can they knocked over at Uplands Elementary School.

8/3/12 6:20pm. A cat triggered a burglar alarm on Brianne Court.

8/5/12 10:08am. A toilet in a woman’s bathroom on Melrose Street won’t stop flushing.

There you have it, two weeks on the mean streets of Lake Oswego. And, yes, I know the Police Blotter is now called the Police Log. Not sure why the Lake Oswego Review made the change, but it will always be the Blotter to me. And the propertyblotter will be the propertyblotter as well.

Stay cool in this heat. In LO it only lasts a few days.
Dianne

LO Named One of 10 Best Towns for Families

Family Circle Maganzine has named Lake Oswego one of the Nation’s 10 best towns for families. This came as no surprise to me. It’s why I moved here. I think it’s why many people move here. This is simply a great place to raise kids.

Here is what Family Circle had to say:

Lake Oswego, Oregon

Population: 36,396
Median Income: $83,397
Median Home Price: $361,317
Households with Kids: 30%
Student/Teacher Ratio: 22:1
Great Schools Rating: 10

Beth Taylor, 53, rarely travels far from this scenic Portland suburb for family vacations. She and husband Mitch, a 52-year-old tech firm executive, along with kids Grant, 18, and Margaret, 9, have hiked in the Cascades, skied at Mount Hood and floated down the McKenzie River—all just a two- or three-hour drive away. The Taylors can also get their nature fix by walking out the front door, since their home borders a 645-acre forest known as Tryon Creek State Park. “When you’re on the trails, it’s easy to forget that you live anywhere near a city,” says Beth. But what she appreciates most about Lake Oswego is its caring citizens. To make up for school budget cuts, parents raised more than $2 million last year to hire teachers and keep classes small. And when Grant was hurt during a football game last October, two neighborhood doctors met Beth and Mitch in the ER for moral support and stayed with them through the night; when Grant returned home, the family’s voicemail and e-mail boxes were filled with hundreds of good wishes and their fridge had been stocked with food. “Not unusual at all,” says Beth. “People here go all out to support each other.”

Good Deeds: Every year students at Lake Oswego High spend one of their days off from school doing volunteer work, from cleaning the local library to mucking out stalls at a horse stable for disabled youth. In April 700 kids stepped up; next year’s goal is for all 1,200 to take part.

Community Clean Up June 16th

Now is your chance to really dig into that spring cleaning and get rid of unwanted items. June 16th, from 9am to 12pm (or until the dumpsters are full) the city of Lake Oswego is sponsoring a community clean up event. There a 2 locations, each collecting different items.

West End Building, 4101 Kruse Way:

Rigid plastics: lawn furniture, barrels and buckets, toys, play houses, CDs and DVDs and their cases, laundry baskets, shelving, pet containers, totes, empty and clean garbage containers, landscaping trays and flower pots, automotive plastics

Scrap metal: non-freon appliances such as stoves, ovens, toasters, ladders, barbeques and other metal

Community Warehouse will be on hand to collect useable items like towels, pillows, chairs, dressers, sofas, dish sets, pots, pans, TVs, kitchen tables, microwaves, mattresses, bed sheets and bikes.

There are some restrictions:
No yard debris.
No hazardous waste (fuel, pesticides, etc)
No firearms or fireworks
No florescent bulbs
No batteries
No freon-based appliances (contact energy trust of Oregon at 866-444-8907 for ideas on disposal of these items)
No tires.

At River West Church, 2000 Country Club Rd, you can dispose of electronic waste such as computers, monitors, televisions, and other electronics.

The cost for getting rid of these items? You are asked to make a dontaion to the Oregon Food Bank.

This event is for citizens of Lake Oswego only. For more information, contact the Citizen Information Center at 503-635-0257.

Do we live in a cool town, or what?

Iron Mountain Trail

Picnic with a view
As an avid walker and hiker, I was completely surprised about 2 weeks ago to learn about a wonderful trail not too far from my house. It’s called the Iron Mountain Trail.

The trail head starts at the top of Iron Mountain along Glen Eagles Rd. I don’t know the exact distance, but I would guess it at close to a mile long. It has an easy grade across the side of Iron Mountain and ends at Lake Oswego Country Club.

The trail is groomed with packed gravel and wide enough for a couple of friends to walk side by side. It is such a gentle slope because it was originally a rail road bed for the Oregon Iron Company.

Back in 1865 Iron was discovered in what is now Iron Mountain. There are still mine shafts in the mountain, although the entrance to the mine has been cemented over to prevent kids and animals from mishap.

About halfway along the trail there is a junction that you can also take that goes the opposite direction along Iron Mountain but down to the The Hunt Club. The views that direction are lovely as well. You get a birds eye view of the horses and the arenas.

One of the great things that makes Lake Oswego a great place to live is the ability to take nice walks and hikes. This trail is now one of the options that I will make regular use of.

Dianne

This is Earthquake Country

Earthquake fault
Cascadia Subduction Zone
While not as famous as our neighbor to the South, Oregon is very much earthquake country.

Some background
When recently visiting LO City Hall, I found a wealth of interesting information on a variety of topics, one of which is a handy little magazine called “Living on Shaky Ground“. It’s published by Oregon Emergency Management and is available for free.

We happen to live right on top of the Cascadia Subduction Zone. This zone has a history of 8.0 and 9.0 (we are talking HUGE earthquakes) that goes back 10,000 years with these big quakes happening on average every 250 years. It’s now been 312 years since the last big quake. So it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.

So, what can you do? In particular, when it comes to your home and buying a house.

When buying a home inspect, inspect, inspect

A good home inspector will look at the house from a perspective of its structural soundness. If the inspector has concerns, he or she should recommend further inspection be done by a seismic engineer.

I was recently involved in the potential sale of a home that was partially built on stilts with a very sloped lot. I was representing the buyer. Our home inspector determined that the substructure of the stilts provided for East and West support (or shaking) but not for North and South. Basically the Nouthern stilts all sat on the same retaining wall with no lateral bracing. In an earthquake, any shaking from the North to the South would cause that retaining wall to fall over and, yep, the house would go down the hill. Needless to say, my buyer chose to end that transaction and ended up purchasing an entirely different home.

If a more in-depth inspection is required by a seismic engineer, expect to spend about $250 for a sight visit. At this visit you will be able to walk the property and get a naration of what the engineer thinks. If you want to proceed and you want specific observation put into writing, that would include corrective measures to create a secur home, expect to spend several thousand dollars.

Consider getting earthquake insurance

There are limitations to what homes can qualify for earthquake insurance. Most insurance companies will not issue it to older homes. But if your home was built in the last 50 or so years, it may be eligible. And if it is, it is not that expensive to add as a rider to your home owner’s policy. Look into it.

Consider getting your home retrofitted

Newer homes are built to modern codes and standards that do take earthquakes into consideration. So newer homes are going to be more seismicly sound. However, older homes can be retro-fitted. Strapping the house to the foundation, installing cripple walls in the crawlspace, bolting the mudsills to the foundations: these are just a few of the possible corrective measures to make an older home more seismicly worthy.

Some thoughts

In 1993, Oregon had 3 strong earthquakes. I was awoken from sleep by the “Springbreak Quake”, a 5.6 magnitude quake centered about 25 miles South of Lake Oswego in Scotts Mills. That same year Klamath Falls in Southern Oregon had 5.9 and 6.0 earthquakes. Being awoken from sleep by an earthquake makes you feel like you have been through something quite extraordinary. I can not even imagine the shock and destruction of experiencing an 8.0 or 9.0 quake.

Preparedness is the key. Do some research, think about preparing your family and your home for living through an earthquake.

I have recently read quite a bit that the way to react to an earthquake is to get into what is called “The Triangle of Life”. This involves laying against furniture or large objects so that your body is contained in the triangle created between the top of the object and the floor. According to the Oregon Emergency Management Office this is NOT the best response. They recommend DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON. Get underneath a sturdy object, on your knees and crouching on the floor, tuck your head between your arms, and hold onto the object that is protecting you. Almost all scientific, government, and relief organizations, including the Red Cross, are now recommending this method.

Let’s hope it doesn’t happen. Proper Prior Planning being one of my favority policies, do take earthquakes seriously. For a copy of “Living on Shaky Ground”, click here.

As always, thanks for reading.
Dianne

Happy Holidays!

Whether you are celebrating Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, or any of a number of faith celebrations, Linda and I want to extend our good wishes to you this season.

Faith is a very personal consideration. I have had a client moving in from out of the area ask me if there is a prevalent church in Lake Oswego, and I honestly told her that there is not. I consider LO to be extremely diverse. While we do have 19 Christian Churches (including the Mormon Temple, a Korean United Methodist and a Chinese Faith Baptist) there are also 2 Buddhist Centers, a Synagogue, and the New Thought Center for Spiritual Living. Close by in Tigard is the Baps Hindu Temple, and not much further away in SW Portland is a Mosque. And if you find no need for formal worship, that’s OK too. Really, we are a very open community.

With Christmas Day falling on Sunday this year, there will not be an Open House report. Even Realtors need a Day off once in awhile.

May your holidays be blessed with happiness, may the New Year bring you prosperity, and may you find contentment and satisfaction in each and every day of your life.

Best wishes to you and yours,
Dianne and Linda

The Gallery Without Walls

People's Choice 2011, "August Trunk"
The community of Lake Oswego loves art in a big way. In 1999 the Arts Council of Lake Oswego was founded as a non-profit to ensure the continuing support of art in the town, and one of their big accomplishments has been the Gallery Without Walls. The Gallery Without Walls consists of sculpture that is loaned to the community for a 2-year period. While it is on display it is offered for sale. At the end of the 2-year period the community votes on their favorite sculpture and the “People’s Choice” sculpture is purchased and added to the city’s permanent collection.

"Vincent" by Keith Jellum
Over the years this has allowed the city to acquire some wonderful art work that is displayed throughout town. There are currently about 60 sculptures that make up the art work on loan as well as the permanent collection. In driving around town, I have been enjoying the 15 new sculptures that were installed in July.

"Zen Beacon" by Thor Myhre
If you would like a tour of the pieces with the aid of a knowledgeable guide, private tours can be arranged by calling the Arts Council at 503.675.3738. You can also get a free phone app for your iphone by going to the Apple App Store and searching for L.O. Art tour. For your Smartphone go to www.artscouncillo.org/tour

And if you love art and want to get involved with the Arts Council, they are always looking for volunteers. Please call Cheryl Brock at 503.675.3738.

To view the permanent collection, click here.

To view the “People’s Choice” collection, click here.

"Jazz Drummer" by Mary Ann Baker
I really do believe that art enriches our lives in both subtle and profound ways. Even on one of those more difficult days, a piece of art will bring a smile to my face. And on glorious days, it just makes the day all the more enjoyable. I love art. I am so happy to live in a community that shares that love.

LO Helps the Homeless

One of the perceptions that I work to address here at the blotter is that Lake Oswego is a community of the wealthy and the rich. Yes, we have more than the average number of million dollar houses. But we also have homes that are less expensive and even people who are struggling with homelessness. We are a diverse community with diverse needs.

In 1998 six churches in Lake Oswego formed the Lake Oswego Transitional Shelter Ministry to address homelessness. The first shelter was opened in 2001 at the Lake Oswego United Church of Christ, and a second shelter was opened a few years later at the United Methodist Church. Both shelters are supported by all of the churches involved which also includes Church of Christ, Scientist, Our Lady of the Lake Catholic, Christ Episcopal, Lake Grove Presbyterian, and Our Savior’s Lutheran.

The shelters provide housing to families for 3 to 6 months while they get on their feet after whatever brought them to homelessness. Families are pre-screened by Clackamas County Social Services and the Annie Ross House Outreach Program. They are aided by counselors who help them to find employment and break the cycle of homelessness. Volunteers from the churches involved drop in daily to provide a ride, a listening ear, and when needed, advice.

Over the years that I have lived in Lake Oswego I have known people who struggled to keep food on the table and who lived economically on the edge. This community is not just a community of the wealthy. It really is a cross section of humanity. I am proud that within the community there are programs to aid those in need.

Dianne

Sundeleaf Plaza

The City of Lake Oswego is in the final stages of completing the city’s newest park, Sundeleaf Plaza. The park is centrally located on State Street between the Lake Theatre and Millennium Plaza Park.

Only just a few years ago the lake could not be seen from downtown. In fact, there were no public access points at all. With the construction of Millennium Plaza Park in 2000, and now Sundeleaf Plaza in 2011, the lake is accessible to the public and views of the lake can be enjoyed by those passing through town on Hwy 43.

The plaza is named in honor of Richard Sundeleaf, a prominent Oregon Architect. Mr. Sundeleaf lived in Lake Oswego for a number of years and 9 homes that he built are listed on the City of Lake Oswego’s landmark designation list, including his own home on Phantom Bluff.

Mr. Sundeleaf also built a number of commercial buildings in Lake Oswego including the Lakewood Center, the Lake House Restaurant, the Lake Theatre, and the Murphy real estate building (currrently home to Starbuck’s). His style combined Arts and Crafts with Tudor to create a charming style that had a huge influence on the “village” atmosphere so prominent in Lake Oswego.

The new plaza has views of Lakewood Bay, and a lakeside promenade. The Lake Theatre next door is remodeling to allow for lakeside dining and use of an outdoor fireplace that faces the plaza.

This plaza is a great addition to the many outdoor spaces to be enjoyed in Lake Oswego. It’s another great reason that Lake Oswego stands out as a wonderful community to live in.