Colton News

NEW HEMPSTEAD - The final day at Merrill L. Colton Elementary School, which closed as a public school for good yesterday, began as usual, with its 300 or so fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade students arriving on time at 8 a.m. to be welcomed by smiling staff.

The Piedmont Boys of South Carolina will perform a mix of country, southern rock and bluegrass at the Molalla Arts & Music Festival.

Fire officials have asked the Oregon State Police to help investigate a suspicious vehicle fire that broke out early today.

MONMOUTH - A philosopher, a harmonizer and a heavy hitter each provided some final words for Western Oregon University's 2009 graduating class Saturday, the school's 152nd.

Fashion designer Alton Osborne in his work space at The Studio at Colton on Wednesday, June 11, 2009.

With the sliding-glass door ajar in the den of his rustic Polk County home, Arlie Holt can hear at once a rustling Little Luckiamute River and bustling Bridgeport School playground.

BRIDGEPORT - With the sliding-glass door ajar in the den of his rustic Polk County home, Arlie Holt can hear at once a rustling Little Luckiamute River and bustling Bridgeport School playground.

RAMAPO - The East Ramapo Board of Education is expected tonight to debate how to respond to a complaint to the state education commissioner over the proposed closure of Colton Elementary School.

A resident in the East Ramapo school district has filed a legal appeal asking the state's education commissioner to stop the closure of the Merrill L. Colton Elementary School.

Students and staff at East Ramapo's Merrill L. Colton Elementary School had heard rumors for the past few weeks that their school could close next year.

The project that continues to bring light to students in Ghana is also providing opportunities for locals to learn.

Hours later, he twirled his partner around and swing-danced away his afternoon. "It's like your day goes from average to extraordinary, " said Dennis Oatis, 17, as he scurried onto a bus headed back to Joseph S. Clark High from the studios at what had been Colton Middle School.

Eight-year-old Curtis Sowell joins the generations of Clackamas County residents who have perched on the original bar stools at Howell's Restaurant in Oregon City.

At one point, Dennis Oatis argued with a leader of his school's hip-hop dance team about what songs to perform.

Every Friday, Colton High School senior Sadie Barnard is up before 5 a.m., heading to work.

Wesley Williams' rise at the Studio at Colton was quick. "I came here to clean toilets for three days," he said, "and everybody recognized that I had another talent." Williams is also a visual artist whose ...

Construction workers Pat Fitzpatrick, Jeremiah Morley and Colton Shade do early-morning stretching before starting work.