Salem's top employee for nearly four years, Steve Powers, earns $220,500 a year while overseeing roughly 1,200 employees and city funds of about half a billion dollars. Salem City Council is largely happy with his performance, according to a recent review.

Hour by hour, the evening drained away as the Salem-Keizer School Board listened to parents, teachers, and students. Our reporter, Rachel Alexander, was with them every step of the way.

He uses a sharp pen and blunt language to make his point. He is paid to write press releases at the Legislature. But Jonathan Lockwood's style also disrupts Oregon's political geniality.

Over the past two weeks, industry leaders and economists have given testimony on a massive proposal that would change Oregon’s economy and make it the second state to pass a cap and trade program.

Salem's only Catholic middle and high school is looking to attract more students and shore up its athletic and academic programs with a track and new field, as well as more technology equipment.

With technology passing by some rural areas of Oregon, legislators are considering laying on a new fee on cell phone use. The money collected from Oregonians would be invested in expanding broadband internet service to rural areas.

Even as they split on the vote, board members broadly agreed they, and district staff, needed to look at how school construction funds were being allocated in the McKay High School area, and do more to address racial inequities in the district without bussing Latino students across the city.

On Election Day 2018, 97 ballots cast by voters sat in a Portland-area office, overlooked and destined not to be counted. Those missed votes could cost the Oregon group responsible nearly $100,000.

Cherriots' staff and board of directors met Monday to talk about the future of the South Salem Transit Center. Discussions revolved around "stepping back" from earlier plans.

Benny Williams, the NAACP president, said his members remain concerned about low graduation rates among the district’s black students, particularly at McKay High School, where many of the changes are aimed.

Involving a mix of politics and science, a long effort to draw new school boundaries in the Salem-Keizer School District could finish Tuesday night. Citizens have a chance to speak one more time as the school board considers finally approving a complex plan.

Salem City Council on Monday night voted against helping state transportation officials complete an environmental review needed to build the Salem River Crossing. The move effectively ends the project.

Sen. Dennis Linthicum last week said Eric Garner’s death was the result of high tobacco taxes. The remarks sparked outrage in Salem, as Democrats and Republicans alike condemn his message as charged and insensitive rhetoric.

PHOTOS: Bands from Oregon and Washington competed on Saturday, Feb. 9, in a jazz competition involving middle and high schools.

A suspected case under monitoring in Salem was not measles.