What’s making news in Salem you might have missed
Good morning…
Allow us to pause a moment and wish all the mothers of Salem a happy Mother’s Day.
The weather is about perfect to treat mothers to a day out and about – sunny and a high forecast of 81.
Popular histories trace the special day to the efforts of Anna Jarvis, who organized a Mother’s Day celebration in 1908 at a West Virginia church.
The idea caught on and in 1914 President Woodrow Wilson formally declared the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. The proclamation, though, lacks much passion – nothing that would show up in a greeting card.
He directed “government officials to display the United States flag on all government buildings and do invite the people of the United States to display the flag at their homes or other suitable places on the second Sunday in May as a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.”
President Joe Biden issued his own proclamation that includes asides about what his administration has done for mothers.
But he did better than Wilson in bowing to mothers.
“May we all show gratitude to our mothers, who are our rocks, believing in us so that we may believe in ourselves. May we pray for those who have lost their mothers and miss their comfort each day and for the mothers who have lost a child — a piece of their soul. May we wholeheartedly support the countless mothers across the country who work tirelessly to make the American Dream real for their children and families,” Biden’s proclamation says.
Now, let’s catch you up on what’s happening in Salem.
The primary election is heading into its last full week, ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, May 21. You can learn about candidates for local, state and national offices all in one place on our website with our special 2024 Election page.
The most contested race locally is that for Salem mayor, which has drawn record amounts of campaign cash. Julie Hoy, a Salem city councilor seeking to unseat incumbent Chris Hoy, has taken in several sizable donations, helping her punch through the quarter-million-dollar mark in contributions.
What do those writing big checks want? Few will say.
Reporter Abbey McDonald took our reporting beyond just listing numbers and names to probe the intentions of donors. She encountered mostly silence in her exclusive report.
Sticking with money for a moment, the Salem Budget Committee finished up its work last week, as reporter Joe Siess chronicles. Those splash pads and summer events have been saved – this time. The city funding for the new budget year that starts July 1 now goes to the Salem City Council for the final approval.
When it meets Monday, city councilors will also consider next steps for taking over local ambulance service and plans to improve sidewalks around town. We share how you can get your voice heard on these and other issues.
The council also will consider a tax break for a new apartment complex in downtown. The city, by the way, has issued 297 permits for dwellings since last July. High construction costs, meantime, have delayed a west Salem retail center.
On the criminal justice front, police and prosecutors continue to pursue those suspected of busting into mailboxes all over town. Reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian reports that a local woman has been charged with stealing mail from 11 businesses and homes last November, including checks totaling more than $10,000.
And a man angry about not getting on a Cherriots bus in downtown Salem threatened one woman with a gun and used it to beat another, according to police. The man charged in the crimes had been released recently by officials in Clackamas County.
In other public safety news, students at South Salem High School will encounter something new when showing up for school – weapons detectors. Managing Editor Rachel Alexander explains a pilot project schools officials are undertaking, with the prospect such devices could be installed at other schools.
Around the country, protests at college campuses continue to disrupt school life. But a protest by students at Willamette University was quiet in comparison. The students ending their presence at the college library after five days.
Finally, let us introduce you to 22 local students who have made their mark in school. This is your “good news” story for the week, about students who overcame struggles to advance in school. They were cited with Turnaround Awards, the 28th year of such recognition. This was one of our most popular stories in recent days.
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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, Salem Reporter
Salem Reporter’s new team includes, from left, Les Zaitz, Rachel Alexander, Abbey McDonald, Ardeshir Tabrizian and Joe Siess. (LAURA TESLER/Special to Salem Reporter)
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