Though the D River's honor of "world's shortest river" was challenged in 1987 by a group of ornery schoolchildren in Great Falls, Mont., the celebratory signs along Highway 101 in Lincoln City remain..."It's 105 feet, give or take five feet," said Jill Elfstrom, longtime employee of Kyllo's Seafood Grill, the restaurant that sits along side the river for most of its length. "Devil's Lake is a spring-fed lake, so [the body of water that connects it to the Pacific Ocean] fits all the criteria of being a river. I'm an old-time Lincoln City resident, and we like our information correct."..On the beach, Jody McDonald of Salem showed the river to friends visiting from Texas, including Melissa White, who grew up in Portland..."Growing up, we used to go to Cannon Beach, but that's gotten kind of boring," White said. "But I can't go home without coming to the beach.".."Don't get wet!" one of her friends exclaimed, as she stepped into the slow, shallow, legendary D River..."That's part of going to the beach," White responded. Copyright Statesman Journal.

The annual Pickathon Music Festival brings folk and roots musicians and their fans from all over the world to Portland, Oregon.

Rap duo Cobra Conda performs at the Beauty Bar in Denver, Colorado.

high school dances are a roller coaster of emotion. a clumsy first stab at glamour and adulthood often backfires, resulting in a sobbing, mascara-streaked tantrum. on occasion, though, youthful anxiousness can transcend the drama. a moment of magic arrives, passed down from the lives of untold others into the life of a scared and inexperienced over-dressed child, and the special potential of the unsunned future briefly comes into view. Copyright Statesman Journal.

Camp Starlight is an annual support system for children infected with or affected by HIV and AIDS. “A lot of our kids just have really high levels of worry, worries about their own health or worry about their family member who’s HIV-positive,” said Rebecca Block, the director of the Twinkle Team, staff members who are in charge of the campers’ mental health. “The majority of the kids have a mom who’s positive, so they spend more time than most kids their age worrying about their moms." Melanie Smith-Wilusz, who has been the camp’s program director since its inception, balances the needs of children’s health issues with their desire to be treated like anyone else. “All of our kids are usually pretty healthy. We’ve had a couple of years where kids may be a little tired, so we plan different activities. We don’t force kids to do anything they’re not willing or wanting to. It’s a camp for them, to be loved on for the whole entire week. Whatever you want to do, we’re here to support you in any way and every way we can.” The Night of 1,000 Stars, the culmination of the week, began as a talent show of sorts, with traditional Camp Starlight songs and untraditional improvised performances, some silly and some intensely heartfelt. After the sun set, the Night of 1,000 Stars ended with a candlelight vigil and closing ceremony, a communal expression of love, strength and hope. Campers and counselors write secret notes called Fire Wishes and placed the papers gently in a bonfire. The sparks and smoke rose into the night. Then they gathered in a circle and softly sang the old, eternal standard “Stand By Me.” Holding candles that flickered their low light in the darkness, they sang together as one: “I won’t cry, I won’t cry / I won’t shed a tear / Just as long as you stand / Stand by me” But the tears came anyway. Campers and counselors went around the circle, each saying one word that encapsulated the experience of their week together. Home. Freedom. Magic. Courage. Family. Peace.

Graduation coaches search for high school dropouts in Salem, Ore., finding ways by any means possible to get them back into the school system.

for 27 hours on my 27th birthday, i walked around my hometown meeting strangers.