Take a look at Salem news you might have missed
Good morning…..
Brace yourself for a bit of stormy weather in Salem.
The National Weather Service is forecasting a high chance of showers through Monday with up to a quarter inch of rain during the day Sunday, up to a half inch Sunday night and another half inch on Monday. Thunderstorms are possible.
But forecasters also have issued a wind advisory for Monday, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Winds are forecast to hit 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 45 mph. Be ready for flying limbs and possible power outages.
Meantime, let’s catch you up on what’s been making news in Salem.
Many of you will be watching for results in the current election. Ballots are due by 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7. In Salem, eyes will be on the fate of the city’s proposed income tax on workers. Salem Reporter will have results Tuesday night as soon as they are available.
The Salem City Council is already considering what happens if the measure fails. Councilors last week shared their ideas on cutting services, as recounted by reporter Abbey McDonald.
The labor talks in Portland are worth watching. Portland teachers walked off the job last week in an historic strike in the state’s largest school system. Union and Portland Public Schools officials have been in talks all weekend to end the impasse.
In Salem, mediation continues in the Salem-Keizer School District between teachers and district officials. Any possible strike here is some time off because of required steps before that can happen. Managing Editor Rachel Alexander reports on the status of union talks involving support professionals such as bus drivers and classroom aides.
The community last week endured two high-profile crimes that resulted in police pursuits and deaths. Reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian detailed a south Salem shooting that closed down Southeast Commercial Street for a time and then another that led to a school lockdown and 50-mile Santiam Canyon pursuit that started in Salem.
As we monitor social media channels, the reports of such shootings trigger comments along the lines of “What’s happening to Salem?” or “Salem never used to be like this.”
At Salem Reporter, we’re working to find out what is the true nature of gun crime in the city. That isn’t easy as the Salem Police Department can’t easily produce data on the topic.
We’d like your help in that reporting. We want to talk to those who have been affected. That means if your neighborhood was the scene for a shooting in the streets or otherwise, we want to hear from you. If you or someone you know had bullets strike a home or car, we want to hear from you. And if you or someone you know was shot, we want to talk to you.
If you have questions about this topic, share them with us. If you have ideas about how we can report on this vital story, pass them along. Ardeshir Tabrizian is taking the lead on this work and you can reach him by email: [email protected].
But there’s good news in Salem too.
We love to spotlight volunteers who make the community better, and we did so recently with a profile of a role model who works hard to engage kids in sports.
And one refuge from the world’s woes is the constellation of galleries in Salem. Make a date with yourself in the next two weeks and go to a gallery you’ve never visited. We published a guide to art galleries to help you decide where to go.
WE COULD DO MORE
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As always, I’m eager to hear from you directly on any matter. You can reach me by email at [email protected]. You can trust that I read every single one.
–Les Zaitz, editor, Salem Reporter
PS: We want to grow and add another reporter or two to do even more of
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