Some individual Covid vaccine appointments with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be rescheduled in Salem, but local vaccine providers said they’re substituting Pfizer and Moderna doses for planned clinics rather than cancel events.

Sensory overload appeared to be the theme at many local schools as sixth and ninth graders returned to in-person classes Tuesday. Cheering walls of teachers and school staff greeted teenagers still waking up - but despite some nerves, most reported they were glad to be back.

The Chemeketa Car Choir started earlier this year as a way to have student singers perform safely. On Sunday, they performed for hundreds of residents at Capital Manor in a welcome respite following a year of isolation at the retirement home.

Funding for the planned 34-unit apartment building remains in question after the state canceled lottery bond funds last year because of a a revenue downturn from the pandemic. But YMCA leaders, who are spearheading the project, are hopeful the Legislature will come through.

With low inventory and high demand, housing prices in Salem have been on the rise. But the local building industry faces a shortage of labor, materials and land. The rebuilding of the Santiam Canyon is expected to put further pressure on the industry.

The cemetery has been closed to the public since the February ice storm brought branches and several trees down across the 17-acre site. With volunteers and contracted crews, the city hopes to reopen the site by Memorial Day.

Board Chair Satya Chandragiri said he was concerned that recognizing senior Eddy Binford-Ross before May school board elections might appear too political. He said the concern wasn’t about the article’s content, but arose after a local socialist group shared it to endorse candidates.

A bill being considered by Oregon lawmakers would make it easier to sidestep land use requirements that slow down the creation of shelters for homeless people. Salem has already moved forward with two emergency shelters.

Gene L. Thompson and his wife, Guojiao Zhang, also known as Becky Thompson, ran a lucrative scheme importing knockoff luxury handbags from China for sale at reduced prices in the U.S. until they were caught.

Teaching Spanish-speaking parents how to help their kids learn at home is a longstanding goal at the Salem-Keizer Coalition for Equality. Their classes usually focus on elementary school students and their parents, but a flood of requests over the past year led to a new offering for 3- to 5-year-olds.

The Climate Action Plan task force met Wednesday to discuss the findings of a March survey in which respondents prioritized repairing sidewalks and preserving green spaces. Task force members prioritized increased bus service, electric vehicles.

Markham served Douglas County and parts of Josephine County as a Republican representative in the Oregon House from 1969 to 1997, a record 14 terms.

Over the past year, the Oregon State Fairgrounds has been used mostly as a staging area to respond to the tumultuous events of a pandemic and wildfires. On Friday, the pavilion at the fairgrounds will host a show of household wares, which could be the beginning of more “normal” events in the future.

Brian Jackman was one of dozens of unsheltered people who died in Salem in the past 14 months. His story provides insight into the struggles unhoused people have faced in Salem during the pandemic as access to services has been cut off and people's health conditions have worsened.

In a news release Tuesday, the health authority said it “decided to pause the ongoing planning” for the application to “focus on vaccinations and other priority efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Proponents of the bill say it would cut down on electronic waste while making computers and other devices more accessible. But industry groups say the bill could harm consumer privacy and there are already ways to get devices repaired.

This week Oregon Housing and Community Services announced $5.5 million would be coming to the Salem area to help pay for new day shelters, motel stays, short-term rental assistance and expanded data collection.

As Willamette University’s chaplain, Karen Wood counseled grieving students, made lawyer jokes at commencement and shepherded a program to help students find a path forward after college based on their values and spirituality.

A 22-year-old Salem man had troubled mental health and struggled with drug abuse. His mother told Salem Reporter in an interview that urged him to surrender a shotgun on Friday, April 2, but he drew the weapon in a move that resulted in his death as Salem police arrived.