07/03/03

Oregon City police probe 19 reports of graffiti in area

OREGON CITY -- Police are investigating a rash of graffiti sprayed on homes, mailboxes and cars since late May, Oregon City police said Wednesday.

Police have received 19 reports of defaced property in the South End and Central Point roads areas, said Lt. Mike Conrad.

Some of the graffiti has been racially or ethnically offensive and has included the words, "Nazis were here," "Hitler rules" and "KKK." But Conrad said investigators have found nothing to "indicate . . . that a specific group is being targeted."

Police have distributed fliers in the neighborhood offering $50 for information leading to an arrest. Detectives have canvassed the neighborhood, and extra patrols are cruising the streets where the crimes have occurred.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Sgt. Lisa Nunes at 503-657-4964. One suspect in robbery in custody; another sought

OREGON CITY -- Police are looking for one of two men they say were involved with robbing a man in his Pearl Street apartment Saturday night.

Oregon City police arrested Scotty McEwen, 25, of Eagle Creek on Saturday in connection with the incident. He has been charged with first-degree robbery and being an ex-convict in possession of a firearm.

Lt. Mike Conrad of the Oregon City Police Department, said two men appeared at the door of the apartment just before 8 p.m. One allegedly pulled a gun out of a paper bag and hit the victim, Conrad said.

The men told the victim to lay down on the kitchen floor while they searched the apartment for money, police said. The victim did not know the men.

They left in a car with a small amount of cash. The car the men reportedly were driving was spotted by an Oregon State Police trooper on Oregon 99E in Gladstone. One man ran from the car. The other -- McEwen -- was arrested. Mac's Hobby and Craft says it will close, but not when

OREGON CITY -- Mac's Hobby and Craft store in the South Ridge Shopping Center is going out of business.

The store has stopped taking picture framing orders and asked customers to pick up completed orders this week. But neither the store manager nor MC Management in Boise, which operates seven Mac's outlets in the West, would explain why the store is closing nor would they say exactly when it will close.

The store opened in May 1992 in about 40,000 square feet formerly occupied by Albertsons.

%%head%%YOU MAKE THE CALL %%endhead%% %%bodybegins%%How can a four-day school week be workable for parents, teachers and students?

Colton is attempting to become the second school district in the Portland metropolitan area to move to a four-day school week. The district hopes to save between $100,000 and $140,000 a year, enough money to allow the district to retain teachers and keep class sizes around 30 students.

Colton Superintendent Steve Dickenson says no instructional time would be lost under the plan and teacher salaries would not be affected. However, most classified employees would have their hours reduced.

Dickenson said he think students will adapt to the new schedule more easily than faculty, staff or parents, some of whom have concerns about potential day-care problems a shorter school week could cause.

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