PGE warns some Salem outages could last into a third weekend

A Salem park ranger vehicle blocks the Peter Courtney Bridge heading to Minto-Brown Island Park on Saturday, Feb. 20. The crossing is a popular walk for park visitors but the city park will be closed while safety hazards are addressed. The park was heavily damaged by the recent ice storm. (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter)

Thousands of Salem homes and businesses spent their second weekend in the dark as PGE warned Saturday that the blackout could continue into a third weekend.

The utility reported on its website that outages in the Salem area were focused on south and southeast Salem. In all, 5,767 PGE customers were still off line as of Sunday morning.

“PGE informed the city manager that complete power restoration in Salem will require five to nine additional days,” the city of Salem said in a website statement on Saturday.

The Marion County Call Center Help Line remains in operation to help area residents with storm-related needs at 503-588-5108.

City Manager Steve Powers assigned city crews to join PGE teams to clear trees and other vegetation.

The Salem zip codes and number of outages listed Sunday by PGE include:

97301 – 925

97302 – 1,984

97303 – 369

97304 – 12

97305 – 756

97306 – 1,721

The city is continuing to provide sites for property owners to drop off woody debris. The sites are operating from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., including on Sunday at the following locations:

•Woodmansee Park, 4629 Sunnyside Rd. S.E.

•Wallace Marine Park, 200 Glen Creek Rd. N.W.

•Geer Park, 241 Geer Dr. N.E.

•McKay Park, 2755 Hollywood Dr. N.E.

Damage to trees on public property should be reported to Salem Public Works Dispatch at 503-588-6311 or by email to [email protected].

Despite recent ice, fallen trees and branches, a cluster of delicate Snowdrops emerge from the ground at Deepwood Museum and Gardens, an early indicator that spring is coming . The grounds at were heavily damaged by the ice storm and remain closed to the public. (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter)