DUPLICATE THIS (includes new v3 NewsletterGlue Blocks) Our roundup of Salem news you might have missed
Good morning…
One after another, people stopped me in the lobby of the Elsinore Theatre.
They wanted to thank Salem Reporter for putting on the Thursday evening’s Town Hall.
Really, it is those who attended or watched on TV who deserve the thanks.
The amount of gun violence in Salem was the issue.
Over months, we’ve reported on specific gun crimes. And we have provided details of the Salem Police Department’s analysis, published last fall.
But we judged it was time for more than stories.
This was a moment for action. Real solutions would come only if the people of Salem united.
The Town Hall wasn’t intended to rid the city of gunfire overnight. This is a complex topic. We could have spent six hours instead of two and still not touched all angles.
Rather, we hoped people like you would be interested and curious. We brought together a great panel of experts to explain.
On stage, we didn’t have to wonder if anyone was paying attention. From the start, there was a flow of questions jotted down on 3×5 cards by those in the audience. The cards kept coming and coming and coming.
The Town Hall caught the attention of KOIN’s news team, which subsequently broadcast a report.
If you attended or viewed the event, we’d like to hear from you: What’s one point that struck you about what you heard at the Town Hall? What’s one step you intend to take? Please send your responses to Ardeshir Tabrizian ([email protected]).
Meantime, our team will take questions not addressed the night of the Town Hall and pursue answers. Watch for the responses in the coming days. On Monday, we’ll publish photos from the event. You can catch the program video from Capital Community Media anytime here.
And we’ll continue to press those in government to explain what they are going to do. We’ll monitor and report back to you who did what they promised – and who didn’t.
This is the spirit of community journalism. This event shows the power of pulling together the public, the press and those in power. We’re humbled so many showed up and we’re determined to see it wasn’t an evening wasted for our panelists, for our audience and, most important, for Salem.
Just before the Town Hall, we shared a Salem mother’s account of learning that her teenage son had been shot to death. This story, sensitively told, is well worth your time as all of us consider what needs to happen in Salem.
While we put a lot of energy into the Town Hall, there was still plenty of other news you should know about.
The local teachers union late in the week declared an impasse in negotiations with leaders of the Salem-Keizer School District. That cracks open the door to a strike. Teachers did walk out in Portland not long ago, so it’s not as remote a chance as it once seemed. Managing Editor Rachel Alexander is staying in close touch with teachers and district executives to report any key development.
In other education news, Willamette University and Chemeketa Community College have forged a new partnership. This means it will be easier for local students to stay in town and become a Bearcat.
In a move to save money, the Salem City Council acted to eliminate nearly three dozen jobs. They were empty slots but the budget reserved money for them. The jobs are now gone and millions saved.
Valentine’s Day has come and gone but you still should read about Meda Duggan. Reporter Abbey McDonald introduces you to the balloon artist who is acting in memory of her family.
Our colleagues at Oregon Capital Chronicle are working overtime to keep up with legislators now meeting. In recent days, they’ve reported on book bans, solving Oregon’s housing shortage, and efforts to deal with pesky daylight saving time.
Speaking of housing, Salem Reporter regularly receives questions about what is affordable housing and how does it work. Abbey McDonald put together an excellent piece that lays out in clear terms what is sometimes a perplexing topic. You’ll get a better understanding of why public money is going into more and more projects. Watch for related reports in the coming days.
ONE MORE THING…
We noticed a number of people signing up for Salem Reporter subscriptions in the hours after the Town Hall. To each of those new subscribers: Thank you!
The Town Hall is one illustration of how we intend to serve the community.
Simply put, this is a partnership. The more subscribers we can get, the more we can do. We’re delighted to share we’re now recruiting to fill a new reporter position. That’s possible only because of the trust Salem is putting in us.
If you aren’t yet a subscriber, become one today. That gives you full access to all the news on Salem Reporter’s 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 now by going 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
Copyright © 2025 Salem Reporter. All rights reserved. |
Our mailing address is: 494 State St., #410 • Salem, Oregon 97301 |
You are receiving this email because you signed up through our website or participated in a promotion. |