Salem reaches $850,000 settlement in lawsuit over 2021 police killing of Salem man

City officials have agreed to settle a 2022 lawsuit alleging Salem police officer Nathan Bush used excessive force when he shot and killed Arcadio Castillo III, 23, in July 2021. Castillo’s mother alleged in the suit that he was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time.
Marion County’s justice of the peace strives to connect with people through court

Since taking the bench in 2021, Justin Kidd has worked to boost access to the Marion County Justice Court by holding proceedings in Spanish, crafting unique sentences and officiating holiday-themed weddings.
UPDATED: No arrest in March 3 stabbing of teen at Highland Park

A 19-year-old man was sitting on a bench at Highland Park around 3:30 p.m. on March 3, talking with another person when a stranger stabbed him twice and ran away, according to Salem police.
Windows broken at KSLM, Salem’s conservative talk radio station

Salem police said they have made no arrests two days after finding three windows shattered at the conservative news talk radio station KSLM early Saturday morning.
A year after deadly shooting in Bush Park, a heartbroken family forges on

José Vázquez Valenzuela, 16, was killed last March in a daytime shooting in Bush’s Pasture Park. In the year since, José’s mother has urged his two friends who survived the gunfire to honor her son’s memory by taking advantage of the second chance he didn’t get.
Boy, 17, accused of shooting man in NE Salem on Feb. 3

A teenager was arrested Wednesday and accused of an early morning shooting a month earlier near Swegle Elementary School that left a 20-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds.
Trucker gets 48 years for causing crash that killed 7 farmworkers

Surviving victims and relatives of the seven farmworkers killed in a May 2023 collision on Interstate 5 tearfully detailed the tragedy they experienced in court Tuesday, just before semi-truck driver Lincoln Smith was sentenced to prison.
4 guns seized from teens accused of threatening person in NE Salem

A group of teenagers are accused of threatening a person with a gun last Thursday on Kacey Circle. Police seized four guns from the teens, including a short-barreled rifle and three high-capacity magazines.
5 takeaways: What’s driving Salem’s rising public safety costs amid city budget crisis

A historic look of Salem’s budget showed spending on police and fire has heavily outpaced inflation, while their staffing hasn’t kept up with rising costs. Here are five key takeaways from two decades of city budget data.
Pedestrian killed, another critically injured in NE Salem

Salem police said a pickup truck driver struck two pedestrians around 2 a.m. Saturday on Northeast Silverton Road. Raymond Dale, 77, died from his injuries and Ephraim Dale, 49, remained hospitalized Saturday afternoon with critical injuries.