Good morning……

So, the year 2023 is about to be in the rear view mirror and the year ahead already looks busy.

Today, let’s all take a deep breath, enjoy family and friends, and pledge to do good and do right in the year ahead.

Meantime, local residents have been reacting with strong opinions and questions about the story by Managing Editor Rachel Alexander and reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian updating the status of building projects in downtown. A key focus: In today’s economy, what really is “affordable” housing?

Among the comments:

*“No housing in Salem or Oregon is affordable for a one income person or family.”

*“Every new form of housing built uses some form for taxpayer funds to prop it up.”

*“By ‘affordable’ they mean you gotta make 3X rent and have a 750 credit score.”

Salem Reporter will be doing more reporting on this topic. Local government uses a variety of tax incentives to encourage new buildings, and we’ll examine that approach here in Salem.

As we ring out the year, our crew paused a moment to reflect on stories we shared with you in 2023.

Rachel Alexander said her perspective changed with the birth of her daughter early in the year.

“Seeing Salem anew through her eyes has made many of the civic issues I write about more personal and relevant to my day-to-day life (poorly maintained sidewalks hit differently when you’re navigating them with a stroller),” Rachel wrote in her roundup.

Reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian, who covers public safety and housing, reflected on community support for our work and the focus on trust.

“I truly feel that we’ve slowly, but surely been able to build a unique partnership with the community that’s built on trust. For that, I feel blessed every day that I come to work,” he writes before sharing his top stories for 2023.

And reporter Abbey McDonald noted she wrote more than 30 stories in 2023 related to the city of Salem’s payroll tax effort. But there was much more, of course.

“From haunted houses to town halls and scavenger hunts, my favorite stories from 2023 represent fun times, learning experiences and community gatherings that showed me what Salem is all about,” she said in her year-end review.

Master photographer Ron Cooper shared his favorite photos of the year and photographer Laura Tesler picked what stands out for her from a year of photos for us. You’ll enjoy their picks.

As we were looking back, we also kept up with local news in the last week of 2023.

A Salem couple faced a crisis as they awaited the birth of their son. They tell of overcoming life-threatening medical emergencies.

Salem has a new place to shop through the winter with a farmers market held under cover. The market runs through March.

Local streets will be safer for walkers and motorists under a new city plan. The idea is to reduce fatalities and injuries, according to Salem officials.

And record demand is straining Salem food banks. One food bank found itself closing early as it ran out of key supplies.
Want to send 2023 on its way in style? Salem has a host of New Year’s Eve events. There’s even one just for kids at noon Sunday.

ABOUT OUR WORK….

At Salem Reporter, we work continually to refine our reporting to deliver news and information that truly matters to the community.

Not everything is a big story or big headline. But we’re delivering the sort of information that helps you know your town better, to be aware of where you can plug in.

Each week, for instance, we give you highlights about local entertainment. We share details on music concerts, community festivals, local plays and more – times, places, cost.

Every month, we put out a guide to local art galleries, a universe well worth exploring. We tell you what’s being exhibited and where. In most instances, these are family-friendly shows that open a new world for children.

And then we share what’s happening in neighborhood associations. This is truly grassroots government, where neighbors sit together to chew over local issues. Every association in Salem is invited to submit a report for this special production. Associations that want to get in can reach out to Rachel Alexander ([email protected])

None of this is going to win us a Pulitzer Prize, but this is the type of day-to-day information so hard to come by anymore. We feel a deep obligation to you to round it up and deliver.

YOU CAN HELP.

SUBSCRIBE: If you aren’t yet a subscriber, become one today. That gives you full access to all the news on our website.  You also get our popular morning and evening newsletters, delivered to your email during the week. The cost is $10 a month, $100 for the year. Sign up HERE.

CONTRIBUTE: We can always use support for our News Fund. This is used to cover the costs of getting public records and to cover the costs for a college internship. Donate any amount HERE.

As always, thank you for reading and feel free to reach out to me anytime at [email protected] with ideas, questions or concerns.

–Les Zaitz, CEO and editor