Your Tuesday evening update on Salem news

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Good evening, Salem.

A funeral Mass for former Senate President Peter Courtney, the longest-serving legislator in Oregon history, will be held Tuesday, July 30, at 11 a.m. at St. Mary Catholic Church in Mt. Angel.

Courtney died July 16 at age 81 of complications from cancer. He retired in 2022 after representing Salem as a state senator and representative for nearly four decades. He became Senate President in 2003 and championed projects around Salem, including the YMCA and Oregon State Hospital campus.

The service at St. Mary in open to the public and will be preceded by a rosary service at 10:30 a.m. The church is located at 575 E. College St.

Read more about Courtney’s life in our obituary here.

Here’s some of today’s news. Find all our coverage anytime on our website.

www.salemreporter.com

Salem’s 2024 community belonging survey looked at where and how often people experience discrimination in Salem, and their comfort level reporting bias crimes to the Salem Police Department.

www.salemreporter.com

Danielle Neves is the second top administrator to join the Salem-Keizer School District from Tulsa Public Schools, Superintendent Andrea Castañeda’s former district.

www.salemreporter.com

The Durkee Fire is on a rampage over eastern Oregon rangeland, covering more than 270 square miles of ground.

www.salemreporter.com

Oregon’s only resident vulture prevents disease by scavenging and can detect natural gas leaks, columnist Harry Fuller writes.

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