Neighborhood News is a monthly Salem Reporter feature to highlight news or issues of concern to each Salem neighborhood association. Read previous editions here.

Salem is divided into 17 neighborhood associations that meet monthly. They serve as a conduit to city officials for things like park improvements, road projects and planning and building. Learn more and find your association here.

Leaders of each association are invited to submit a brief news item or report highlighting the association’s work, neighborhood concerns, upcoming activities or anything else of interest. Submissions are lightly edited for style and clarity.

Save the date! CANDO will be hosting our second community cleanup event Saturday, Feb. 28, at 10 a.m. in Marion Square Park. All are welcome for litter cleanup followed by casual basketball and community connection. Supplies will be provided.

Plus: Join us for our monthly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at 6 p.m., at the Neighbor to Neighbor Office at 347 Union St. N.E. and on Zoom.  If you live, work, or own property in downtown Salem, you are a member of CANDO and are welcome to attend. For more information, follow CANDO on our Facebook Page, or contact us at [email protected].

–Submitted by Spencer Rosenau, chair

Grant Neighborhood Association

Our next meeting is Thursday, March 5, at Broadway Commons at 6:15 p.m. with an informal meet & greet beginning at 5:45 p.m. Thanks to our hosts, we are set up for Zoom and in-person participation. The Zoom link can be found at grantneighborhood.org. All are welcome! 

Some highlights from our Feb. 5 Agenda:

• Business Outreach Committee 
• Possums! 
• Kiosk Design Committee
• Warming Center Issues 
• New newsletter fees
• NA Chair meeting report
• Land use notices
• SPIF Grant update
• Postcard progress
• NEN Clean-up event 

Detailed minutes of our meetings are available on the city site. They are also included in the monthly GNA newsletter in addition to a summary of the last meeting and highlights of the agenda of the upcoming meeting.

The GNA website has the Zoom link for remote meeting attendance, information about the board, Grant neighborhood history, community information and more. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Contact us at [email protected]

–Submitted by Susan Napack, outreach and communications chair

Highland Neighborhood Association

The Highland Neighborhood Association has a lot coming up this spring, and it all starts with our next community meeting on Thursday, Feb. 11, at 6:30 p.m. at Center 50+. We will share neighborhood updates, connect with neighbors, and give an overview of what is coming next for Highland.

And one important topic on the agenda is our upcoming May election. Several board seats will be open, and at the Feb. 12 meeting we will walk through the roles and what serving looks like.

Nominations will open soon, and anyone interested in running or learning more is encouraged to email [email protected]. You do not need prior experience, just a desire to be involved.

Mark your calendars for a Peace Walk on Feb. 28, a Kids Clothing Swap on April 11 from 10 a.m. 1 p.m. at Center 50+, and our annual Community Garage Sale Day on June 6.

Residents can sign up to have their address listed on a shared neighborhood map so shoppers can easily find participating homes.

–Submitted by Holly Schiefelbein, outreach committee chair

Northeast Neighbors

The Tuesday, Feb. 10, Northeast Neighbors Neighborhood Association meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Center 50+, 2615 Portland Road N.E.

On the agenda:

• Lord & Schryver June Garden Tour
• NEN Goals
• 100-Year Anniversary of Englewood Park (Park Kiosk, Celebration, Historic Landmark Designation)
• Bylaw Review
• Neighborhood Comments and Concerns 

Englewood Forest Festival

Call for artists, authors, performers, food vendors, environmental nonprofits to participate opens Sunday, Feb. 15. 

http://www.EnglewoodForestFestival.org

Gussie Belle Commons

We understand the first residents have moved in to the affordable housing development in our community. The north side of the site will open first.

– Submitted by Lynn Takata, land use co-chair

Northgate Neighborhood Association

Winter continues to linger, but the plus side is, it is still baking season. What we started to do is make extra pies so we could take them to our board members or neighbors in exchange for something else. Last time, it was a whole pumpkin given to us. We cut it open for the birds and squirrels to enjoy the seeds in the back yard. It would be nice if everyone reading this could start an exchanging trend with their neighbors, board members or friends of baked goods during this cold season. Just bake a little extra and you can do this.

We at Northgate always try to reflect the needs of our community. For example, if our community shows concern about getting proper drinking water, we convey those messages to the authorities. We recently had a mini-meeting we had with a City official, Robert Chandler of Public Works Department, to discuss the Detroit Lake drawdown.  

On another subject, for years, we have been forwarding to City officials the complaints of littering made by careless people living in tents, after their removal. We get emails from neighbors to fix Salem to look nice again. In this regard, it is not fair to the houseless either because they are constantly being moved around. They need a more stable place to be. Perhaps one day, the city will balance the wants of the communities and give stability to the houseless and come up with a plan that works. Affordable housing should be considered for those who are serious about going back to work and/or getting more education. Families and/or seniors might want their own spaces. 

Lastly, we need more police power. Just today, we found out we got graffiti again at Northgate Park. We are planning to fix this as soon as possible. This confirms the lack of police to cover crime they are facing with. Graffiti and petty crime become secondary due to more pressing crimes. Funding for police should be prioritized and increased. About twelve panels have been tagged upon by a gang member who does not care that these panels are made for children and adults to enjoy.  A sample photo was taken to show what we mean.

If we all look into ourselves and feel the power within to fix what needs fixing, and bring that thought into action, Salem could be a better place. Each of us must do that to make it whole and that includes everyone who works and lives here.

-Submitted by Kaethe Mentrum, secretary/park chair

The North Lancaster Neighborhood Association has updated its monthly meeting schedule. We now meet on the first Tuesday of every month at Salem First Free Methodist Church, 4455 Silverton Rd. N.E.

NOLA works to build a stronger, safer, and more connected community through neighborhood cleanups, safer-street advocacy and opportunities for neighbors to connect. Your voice matters. Join us at our next meeting on Tuesday, March 3, starting at 6:30 p.m.

– Submitted by Deanna Garcia, chair

South Central Association of Neighbors

SCAN invites you to join us for our February meeting which will be held from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at South Salem High School, 1910 Church Street S.E.

At this month’s meeting we will finalize the board’s strategic goals for the year and hear about Stay Alive Vets, an organization working to connect veterans to essential resources.

Follow us on Instagram @scansalemofficial and on Facebook at Facebook.com/salemscan to keep up with events and activities happening in South Central Salem.

– Submitted by Alma Whalen, SCAN neighbor

Southeast Salem Neighborhood Association

SESNA tackles sidewalk issues Feb. 24: If you worry about cracked, unsafe or uplifted sidewalks — and why it takes so long to fix them — attend the Tuesday, Feb. 24, SESNA meeting at Wesleyan Capital Park Church at 6:30 p.m. 

Salem Street Maintenance Supervisor Brandon Klukis will share how sidewalk repair decisions are made and will answer your questions. Learn how to work with the city to get on the list to improve your sidewalks. The meeting is at the church at 410 19th St. S.E. in the sanctuary. We’ll also give an update following SESNA’s January flood management meeting.

– Submitted by Shannon Priem, chair

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