People

MILWAUKIE, Ore. - Milwaukie police issued a missing person's alert Monday for an "endangered adult female" they said left a Milwaukie residence on Valentine's Day.

Disiray May Mercado, 22, reportedly was last seen sometime in the afternoon on Feb. 14 in the area of Southeast 42nd Avenue and Southeast Johnson Creek Boulevard in Milwaukie. She is described as a white female, 5-feet-2-inches tall, 115 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.  She has a newly pierced tongue and tattoos on her left ankle and left shoulder. She was last seen wearing a grey and white hoody with blue jeans.

Milwaukie police say Mercado is "mildly mentally challenged."

They're asking anyone with information on her whereabouts to call Milwaukie Police at (503) 786-7500 or call 9-1-1.

Meagan Paxton, a 30-year-old Special Olympics Oregon athlete from Gladstone, was selected as the 2010 Lou Burge Special Olympics Athlete of the Year.

She received the honor among other Oregon athletes like Brandon Roy and Ndamukong Suh.

Paxton, who works for United Western Grocers, has been involved in a number of sports including aquatics, basketball, cross-country skiing, cycling, gymnastics, soccer, softball and tennis. She has competed as part of the Special Olympics Team USA in four World games, is a Shriver Greatness Award winner and received Varsity letters as a student at Rex Putnam High School in track and swimming. Paxton said her proudest moment was competing in Nagano, Japan with Team USA in 2005.

Paxton's next competition is March 14 at the Howard M. Terpenning Recreation Complex in Beaverton (50 NW 158th Avenue), where she will be playing basketball in the Winter Regionals Games.

Governor Ted Kulongoski has ordered all flags at public institutions to be flown at half-staff on Dec. 15 in memory of Army Sergeant Elijah Johnmiles Rao of West Linn.
 
Rao, 26, died Dec. 5 in Nuristan, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colo.

Rao attended West Linn High School. His mother and step-father now live in Vancouver and his father lives in the Oregon City/Milwaukie area.
 
“Elijah served his country with honor and distinction,” said Governor Kulongoski. “His service and sacrifice to our country will never be forgotten, and I ask all Oregonians to join me in honoring his memory as flags fly at half-staff on Tuesday.”

Milwaukie Police found the missing adult female shortly after 2:30 a.m. on Nov. 20. 

Disiray Mercado was located by police after a call from a Tri-Met bus driver. She was safe and is receiving necessary medical attention.