NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: What’s happening across Salem in January
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.
Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization
Join us for our first meeting of the year on Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 6 p.m. at the Neighbor to Neighbor Office (347 Union St. N.E.) and on Zoom. State Rep. Tom Andersen will be joining us to preview the upcoming legislative session. Come prepared with your questions!
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
GNA showed up in 2025! At least 20 neighbors and visitors attended our monthly hybrid meetings; we engaged and informed our community with a monthly newsletter and an annual postcard; we co-hosted a National Night Out block party, the annual spring Neighborhood Clean-up Event, and Community Garage Sale Day; awarded three Neighborhood Beautification prizes to neighbors who improved their properties; hosted a booth at Saturday Market; participated at the Salem Art Fair Neighborhood Association booth; and continued our stewardship of Grant Park with regular clean-up events and by pursuing awards from the City and the Parks Foundation for soccer goals, a new game board, and an information kiosk.
We have plans for more of the same in 2026, plus some new goals.
Committees were formed at our January meeting to enhance our support and engagement with Grant Community School as well as the local businesses in our area, to review our bylaws, and to develop a plan to decorate the back of our new kiosk with art.
Our annual postcard to all Grant residents has been board approved and will be on its way to the printer shortly. Our matching fund requirements for the fiscal year have been met through last year’s volunteering and participation efforts (thank you Salem Neighborhood Services!), and our application for this year’s parks grant is underway.
We’re looking forward to another productive year for Grant. We wish you all a Happy New Year!
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 is excited to continue building community in 2026. We invite you to join us on Saturday, Jan. 24, at 4 p.m. at Highland Park as we celebrate the one-year anniversary of our monthly Peace Walks. Peace Walks are a community-building practice rooted in nonviolent action that brings neighbors together to demonstrate peace, solidarity, and care for our neighborhoods while connecting with one another about the issues that matter most to us. These walks help foster relationships and mutual support across our community and contribute to a safer, more connected neighborhood.
We will be walking together, listening to neighbors, and picking up litter to keep our streets clean and welcoming for everyone. All are welcome to participate, meet new neighbors, and help make Highland an even better place to live.
Please also mark your calendar for our next Neighborhood Association meeting on Thursday, Feb. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at Center 50+. We encourage all residents to attend to learn about upcoming events in 2026, get involved, and share your ideas. We will also be discussing our board elections, which will take place at our May meeting.
Come connect with your neighbors, celebrate community, and help shape the year ahead with the Highland Neighborhood Association.
–Submitted by Ryan Erickson-Kulas, chair
Northgate Neighborhood Association
For our Jan. 15 meeting that begins at about 6 p.m., we are honored to have as special guest, Kevin Cameron, commissioner for Marion County, to update us on the Detroit Reservoir’s drawdown.
Kevin has been researching this and is knowledgeable about this difficult situation the government needs to solve, that we are now faced with at year end. All those who wish to listen to it, please visit at that time our Zoom meeting with link found in the agenda.
Also on our honor list is Mitch Nickolds, city codes and compliance manager, who will be our second speaker. He will be updating us about some homeless tenting situations along Northeast Fisher Road area. We actually had the pleasure of working with him and even met him in person and found Mitch to be a hard-working, kind gentleman who gets things done.
–Submitted by Kaethe Mentrum, secretary and park chair
Southeast Salem Neighborhood Association
Concerned about recent flood impact to streets and homes along Mill Creek? If you live near any waterway in Salem, attend the Tuesday, Jan. 27, Southeast Salem Neighborhood Association meeting.
New location: Community Room in new Public Works Building, 1457 23rd St. S.E. (just south of Southeast Mission Street, the new two-story office), 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
While Jan. 27 is SESNA’s regular meeting, we’ll focus on what happened during last month’s Mill Creek flood and why neighbors are worried. City staff will answer your questions and explain how floods are managed and address our Stormwater Master Plan. Learn how all Salem’s creeks, races and ditches are connected. SESNA plans to partner with the city to improve emergency response — please join that effort.
Also on the agenda is a proposal to file a comprehensive plan and zone change for properties at 2757 22nd St. S.E. and 2767 22nd St. S.E.
Questions — contact SESNA Chair Shannon Priem, [email protected].
-Submitted by Shannon Priem, SESNA chair
South Central Association of Neighbors
SCAN invites you to join us for our first meeting of 2026! Our January meeting will be held from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 14, in South Salem High School’s library (1910 Church St. S.E.).
Did you know SCAN has committees focused on specific topics such as transportation, land use, and historic preservation? Come to a meeting to learn more about what these committees are working on!
In the meantime, 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
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