Veterans Home Care Funding in Lake Oswego, OR

LOSC swimmers excel against top programs from across the country

The Lake Oswego Swim Club made a strong showing at the 2026 Bellevue Club Premier Invitational, with 13 different swimmers scoring points against top talent from 8 states. LOSC's elite contingent was led by standout performances from Quincy Taliaferro and Lauren Sexton, who each earned multiple podium finishes. The team's depth was on full display, with critical points coming from both the women's and men's squads.

Why it matters

The Premier Invitational is a high-profile, multi-regional meet that attracts some of the best swim programs in the country. LOSC's strong showing against this level of competition demonstrates the club's ability to develop top-tier talent and compete at the highest level of youth swimming.

The details

At the 4-day meet in Federal Way, Washington, LOSC had 13 athletes (6 women, 7 men) score points, showcasing the program's quality depth. Quincy Taliaferro was a standout, capturing 1st place in one event along with two 3rd place finishes, a 6th, and a 7th. Lauren Sexton also impressed with a 2nd place finish, two 3rd place honors, a 4th, and a 7th. Beyond the individual stars, the LOSC women's team saw critical points from Tessa Aberle, Hailey Bradford, Avery Contreres and Marlene Goddard. The men's squad was led by Jack Wroblewski's 5th and 6th place finishes, with strong efforts from Sylvan Schoenheit, Eugene Fedutinov, Jacob Kim, Henry McKnight, Henry Merrill and Colin Yang.

The players

A competitive youth swim club based in Lake Oswego, Oregon that competes at the highest levels of regional and national competition.

A standout swimmer for the Lake Oswego Swim Club who won an event and earned multiple podium finishes at the Premier Invitational.

A top performer for the Lake Oswego Swim Club, earning a 2nd place finish and several other podium results at the Premier Invitational.

The head coach of the Lake Oswego Swim Club, praised her team's ability to compete with composure and heart against elite competition.

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What they’re saying

“Watching 13 of our athletes step up and score points against some of the best talent from Hawaii to New England shows the grit of this program.”

“Quincy and Lauren led the charge with some incredible podium finishes.”

What’s next

The Lake Oswego Swim Club will look to build on its strong performance at the Premier Invitational as it prepares for upcoming regional and national competitions later this year.

The takeaway

The Lake Oswego Swim Club's depth and talent were on full display at the Premier Invitational, showcasing the program's ability to develop elite swimmers who can compete at the highest levels of youth swimming.

“The Glass Menagerie” will continue at the Lakewood Center for the Arts with performances set for 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and additional showings at 7:30 p.m. 2 p.m. Saturday, March 28, and 2 p.m. Sunday matinees on March 29 and April 5. Ticket prices are $45 for adults and $43 for seniors, with discounts available for students and groups. For more information and tickets, call 503-635-3901 or purchase online at lakewood-center.org.

The Arts Council of Lake Oswego is celebrating the ceramics art form via its ongoing exhibit that will run through April 10 at its Artspace Gallery in downtown Lake Oswego.

The exhibit will feature the work of Oregon artists James Alby, Lisa Conway, Marjorie Dial, Nick Norman, Ben Killen Rosenberg, Ben Skiba, ahuva s. zaslavsky and student artist Renka Ikeban. The exhibit is titled “Thinking Through Mud: Arrangements of Clay + Ikebana.”

Author Kate Messner will talk about her Over and Under series, best suited for a K-3rd grade audience, during an online event at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 26. The books “explore precious ecosystems, landscapes, and the animals that call these places ‘home,’ all over the world,” according to the city website.

For more information, visit https://libraryc.org/westlinnlibrary.

The Lake Oswego Chamber of Commerce will host its Hop at the Hunt event at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 4 at the Lake Oswego Hunt Club.

The Wilsonville Egg Hunt will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 4 at Memorial Park.

To kickoff the Lake Oswego Reads program’s month-long slate of activities inspired by Emma Pattee’s book “Tilt,” Portland State University geology professor Scott Burns will discuss the geology of the Pacific Northwest and the possibility of a major earthquake at 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 1 at the Oswego Heritage House.

Lake Oswego Reads Art Show

Artists will show off their work inspired by “Tilt” during an art show at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 7 at the Lakewood Center for the Arts.

The Lake Oswego Swim Club made a statement at the 2026 Bellevue Club Premier Invitational.

Competing against top programs from eight states, including California, Hawaii and New England, LOSC’s elite contingent of point-scorers saw 13 different swimmers score in the meet, held March 12-15 at Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way, Washington.

LOSC’s effort showcased its quality depth, with 13 athletes (six women and seven men) scoring to bolster the team’s standing in a crowded, high-caliber field.

LOSC coach Emily Melina praised the team’s ability to maintain its focus, despite the travel and the pressure of a multi-regional invitational.

“Watching 13 of our athletes step up and score points against some of the best talent from Hawaii to New England shows the grit of this program,” she said. “My goal is always to see these swimmers grow into amazing adults who understand the value of the process, and this weekend proved they are learning how to compete at the highest level with composure and heart.”

Individual standouts

The weekend was highlighted by a pair of dominant performances from Quincy Taliaferro and Lauren Sexton.

Taliaferro was a constant presence on the podium, capturing first place in a signature victory, alongside two third-place finishes, a sixth and a seventh.

Sexton, meanwhile, displayed remarkable consistency, securing a second-place finish, two third-place honors, a fourth and a seventh.

“Quincy and Lauren led the charge with some incredible podium finishes,” Melina said.

Women’s scoring contingent

Along with Sexton and Taliaferro, the LOSC women’s success was a collective effort, with critical points earned by Tessa Aberle, Hailey Bradford, Avery Contreres and Marlene Goddard.

The men’s depth

The LOSC men’s squad showed immense strength across the board, its efforts led by Jack Wroblewski, who notched fifth- and sixth-place finishes.

The scoring effort was a true “strength in numbers” display, with Sylvan Schoenheit, Eugene Fedutinov, Jacob Kim, Henry McKnight, Henry Merrill and Colin Yang all tallying vital points for the club.

“The depth we saw from the guys — Jack, Sylvan and the rest of the scoring crew — was just as vital (as the women’s success),” Melina said.

For more information on Lake Oswego Swim Club, find the club on Instagram at @official_losc or send an email to [email protected].

The City of Lake Oswego has referred a general obligation bond measure to the May 2026 ballot. If passed the measure would authorize a new property tax to fund replacement of the existing South Shore Fire Station. The measure would cost property owners $0.19 per $1000 of assessed property value. The owner of a home assessed at $600,000 would pay $114 per year or $9.50 per month. The property tax would continue for 20 years and raise approximately $20,600,000.

Constructed in 1971, the South Shore Fire Station is the oldest of the City’s four fire stations. While the station primarily serves the southeast quadrant - including Lakeridge High School, Hallinan Elementary School, Luscher Farm, Lake Oswego Recreation and Aquatic Center, Mary’s Woods, and the Stafford Retirement Community - South Shore Fire Station functions as part of a city-wide emergency response system. Personnel, vehicles, and equipment from this station respond to critical incidents and medical emergencies throughout the entire Lake Oswego community.

Maintaining four stations allows the Fire Department to respond to 90% of high-priority calls within eight minutes.

Over the past 14 years, upgrades by the Fire Department have helped extend the station's life. The proposed bond measure would fund substantial upgrades to maintain its ability to respond effectively to emergencies.

To evaluate the future of the South Shore Fire Station, the City Council created a Task Force of community and government representatives. The Task Force reviewed the current facility conditions, response network, cost estimates, funding methods, and alternatives, including renovating the existing facility.

In February 2025, the Task Force endorsed a report recommending that a new station, South Shore Fire Station, be constructed with funding from voter-passed general obligation bonds.

If the measure passes, the new station would:

On the May ballot, Lake Oswego voters will have the opportunity to vote on Measure 3-635

The South Shore Fire Station, located at 1880 South Shore Blvd, was built in 1971 and is the oldest of Lake Oswego’s four fire stations. To provide input on the future of the station, a task force was created and charged with reviewing the condition of the station, emergency response coverage in the southeast quadrant of the city, future space needs, site feasibility, and preliminary cost considerations. The South Shore Task Force was a 17-member advisory body appointed by the Lake Oswego City Council. Members included representatives from Neighborhood Associations, community groups, and City Boards & Commissions.

During its review, the Task Force identified multiple deficiencies related to seismic standards, firefighter decontamination areas, mechanical and electrical systems, vehicle storage space, accessibility, and overall layout. The Task Force recognized that over the past 14 years, upgrades by the Fire Department have helped extend the station's life. While maintenance and limited upgrades have extended the station’s use, in the Task Force’s opinion the facility does meet current operational requirements or long-term service goals.

The Task Force also reviewed emergency response coverage and drive-time modeling. In the Task Force’s opinion, the South Shore Station contributes to maintaining response coverage in the southeast quadrant, and that removing the station would increase the number of residences experiencing longer response times.

In addition, future expansion possibilities were evaluated using comparisons to recently constructed fire stations from the region and current operational standards. After developing several spatial scenarios, it was determined that a facility of approximately 14,000 square feet would support long-term operations and future growth.

Preliminary cost estimates were developed using industry-standard cost-per-square-foot comparisons from similar public safety facilities and informed the development of the bond measure considered by the City Council.

After evaluating alternatives, the Task Force opined that renovating the existing structure was not economically feasible compared to the cost of constructing a new, seismically safe facility. The City Council moved forward with the Task Force’s recommendation to construct a new South Shore Fire Station, and referred Measure 3-635 to the voters for consideration in May 2026.

What is Measure 3-635 and what would it do?

The City of Lake Oswego has referred a general obligation bond measure to the May 2026 ballot. If passed the measure would authorize a new property tax to fund replacement of the existing South Shore Fire Station. The measure would cost property owners $0.19 per $1000 of assessed property value.

Why is the station being proposed for replacement?

The City and the South Shore Fire Station Task Force studied the current station and issued a report. In the opinion of the task force, the current facility has certain deficiencies with seismic resilience and firefighter decontamination. The Task force recommended demolition and construction of a modern, seismically sound replacement on the current site as the most cost-effective long-term solution.

What is the current condition of the South Shore Fire Station?

The South Shore Fire Station was constructed in 1971 and is approximately 5,500 square feet in size. The South Shore Fire Station Task Force report identifies eleven significant facility deficiencies, including outdated electrical and HVAC systems, inadequate vehicle and apparatus storage space, lack of ADA-compliant public areas, insufficient separation between living and work spaces, and noncompliance with current essential facility seismic standards. Based on these factors, the Task Force concluded that the facility has reached the end of its useful life.

What area does the South Shore Fire Station serve?

The South Shore Fire Station primarily serves the southeast quadrant of Lake Oswego - including Lakeridge High School, Hallinan Elementary School, Luscher Farm, Lake Oswego Recreation and Aquatic Center, Mary’s Woods, and the Stafford Retirement Community. However, South Shore Fire Station functions as part of a city-wide emergency response system. Personnel, vehicles, and equipment from this station respond to critical incidents and medical emergencies throughout the entire Lake Oswego community.

In 2025, the Fire Department responded to 5,110 calls for services, including medical emergencies, public assistance calls, fire incidents, and other life safety responses. Citywide, medical calls account for the majority of Fire Department responses.

If the Measure passes, What Standards would the new station be built to?

The new station would be built to meet today’s seismic standards for essential public facilities, reducing vulnerabilities for firefighters and the community during an earthquake. The new station would also be built to meet today’s building code, energy, and sustainability standards.

If passed, what features would the new station have?

The new station would include modern decontamination areas to help reduce firefighters’ exposure to cancer-causing materials. Additionally, the station will include pull-through vehicle storage to reduce local traffic impact when returning from emergency calls. The station will also house Lake Oswego’s water rescue boat and wildfire response equipment in the area where those services are most likely to be needed.

Why was the Task Force created?

The Task Force was created by City Council Resolution 24-38 in September 2024. Its charge was to review and provide feedback on:

The Task Force was a 17-member advisory body appointed by the Lake Oswego City Council. Members included representatives from Neighborhood Associations, community groups, and City Boards & Commissions.

How does the South Shore Fire Station affect emergency response times?

Maintaining four stations allows the Lake Oswego Fire Department units to be dynamically dispatched based on real-time availability. South Shore Fire Station contributes to the department’s prompt response times of arriving at high-priority calls within 8 minutes 90% of the time.

Were alternatives to rebuilding at the current site considered?

Yes. The Task Force evaluated several alternatives, including renovating the existing facility, relocating the station, contracting with neighboring fire agencies, and expanding ambulance-only services. Each alternative was assessed for feasibility, response time impact, land availability, cost implications, and operational limitations.

What did the Task Force find regarding renovating the existing station evaluated?

Renovation was evaluated as repairing or upgrading the existing structure rather than full replacement. The Task Force report found that living quarters are constructed of unreinforced masonry and that the existing vehicle bay cannot be feasibly expanded or converted to modern pull-through bays. Task Force members determined that no major structural component could be effectively reused to meet long-term needs.

How were cost estimates developed?

Preliminary costs were calculated using an industry-standard method: applying an average cost per square foot from comparable fire station projects, adjusting for soft costs (estimated at 30%), and escalating costs to a projected 2027 construction midpoint. The estimates were designed to establish project scale rather than final construction costs.

How much would the measure cost?

If the measure passes, it would cost property owners $0.19 per $1,000 of assessed property value. The owner of a home assessed at $600,000 would pay $9.50 per month or $114 per year. The property tax would continue for 20 years and raise approximately $20,600,000.

Assessed value vs. market value — which one is used to estimate property taxes?

The property tax estimate is based on assessed value (not market value) and is expressed as $X.XX per $1,000 of assessed property value.

What can bond funds be used for?

If passed, property tax revenue would be used to repay investors following the sale of bonds. The proceeds would be used to design and build a new South Shore Fire Station at the current site, including design, construction, and temporary relocation of crews to maintain service levels during construction.

What happens if Measure 3-635 does not pass?

Property taxes would not be increased. The City would not build the proposed new fire station. The current station would remain in service as long as it is safe to be used.

This information was reviewed by the Oregon Elections Division for compliance with ORS 260.432

Every community has fascinating people.

Meet ours.

People You Should Know is a recurring feature introducing readers to the neighbors, creators, professionals and personalities who add character, depth and everyday intrigue to the place we call home.

These are the People You Should Know in Lake Oswego, West Linn and Wilsonville and they are who will be highlighted in this new weekly feature in The Review.

This week’s iteration spotlights Courtney A. Clements, a historian and genealogist at Oswego Heritage House.

Name: Courtney A. Clements

Experience: Five years of volunteerism at Oswego Heritage House

Motto: “History isn’t just wars and kings and queens. History is everyday people doing everyday things to move history along, and that’s what we do here.” — Courtney A. Clements

Thoughts on Lake Oswego: “I like being here because it’s a community that comes together to support its schools, its culture, its history and it feels like a rural community. We’re not just disparate people — we’re a community.” — Courtney A. Clements

Like all of us, Courtney A. Clements lives in the present.

Like many of us, she worries about the future and wonders what it might hold.

That said, Clements — a historian and genealogist at Oswego Heritage House — spends much of her work in the past, specifically Lake Oswego’s past.

“I’ve always been interested in local history,” Clements said. “The people who got up every day … got it done and built a town. That, to me, is really fascinating, so I think those stories need to be told.”

Clements — a longtime Lake Oswego resident who has a master’s degree in history and a certificate in genealogical research — has been telling LO’s historical stories for five years now.

While she loves each day of her volunteerism at Oswego Heritage House, Clements shared a few of her favorite efforts from the past five years.

First, there was her exhibit on suffrage — the adoption of women’s voting rights in the early 20th century — in Lake Oswego, which focused on the efforts of local historian and teacher Theresa Truchot. In addition to her work on women’s voting rights, Truchot later corresponded with young World War II soldiers for a column in the Oswego Review.

Then there was the collection of Strawberry Box Letters, a series of love letters from a young Lake Oswego woman that basically served as her early 20th-century dating app.

While a lot of today’s world focuses on current events, the latest social media outrage or politics, Clements centers her work life on the past.

Here’s why.

“We think things change, but they don’t,” she said. “We’re still people. We were people 1,000 years ago and we’re people today.”

Though Clements didn’t grow up in Lake Oswego — she’s a Maryland native — she married an LO man, raised her family here and adopted the city as her own.

Along the way, she ran the literacy program in her children’s elementary school, worked on Lake Oswego education policy and chaired the 2021 school bond campaign and 2023 school levy campaign.

“I did not grow up here — my husband did, but I did not — so I don’t have a personal connection to this history,” she said. “But I do live here now and … I just want to know.”

If you’re not hooked yet, here’s some additional historical nuggets that might make you want to learn more about Lake Oswego’s past.

New Yorker Alonzo Durham founded the community in 1847 and launched his saw mill, the city’s first business.Back in the early 20th century, Lake Oswego was known as the “Pittsburgh of the West” due to its prodigious iron production.A longtime site of timber production, at one point, local timber barons considered using Oswego Lake as a log pond.When iron and steel production fizzled out, community leaders turned their focus to upscale real estate, the Country Club district, the polo field and the Lake Oswego Hunt Club.

There’s more, too. Much, much more. And that’s why Clements is dedicated to Lake Oswego’s history and wants you to visit Oswego Heritage House and learn about it.

“I try to find the kernel in every story, no matter how mundane it might seem,” Clements said. “All of these documents … there’s a kernel of something really interesting about our town. it may not be the most exciting, headline-grabbing thing, but it’s still worthy of being studied.”