Ardeshir Tabrizian
Ardeshir Tabrizian has covered the justice system and public safety for Salem Reporter since September 2021. As an Oregon native, his award-winning watchdog journalism has traversed the state. He has done reporting for The Oregonian, Eugene Weekly and Malheur Enterprise.
Salem library exhibit stacks origami boxes honoring victims of gun violence
The Salem Public Library invited people to participate in a group folding of origami boxes for The Soul Box Project’s exhibit on Friday, July 22, 2022. (Ardeshir Tabrizian/Salem Reporter) After 61 people were killed and hundreds more injured in the…
Grand jury finds Salem officers justified in fatally shooting teen suspect
A Marion County grand jury on Thursday unanimously found three Salem police officers were justified in shooting and killing 16-year-old Robert Brown on July 13 after attempting to arrest him. A statement released Friday evening by the Marion County District…
The Reed Underground to showcase artists, comedians in historic opera house basement
The band New Old Stock prepares for a performance in the Reed Underground on Friday, July 15. (Ardeshir Tabrizian/Salem Reporter) Earlier this year, drywall concealed the brick walls that have held up Salem’s Reed Opera House for a century and…
Rising costs, supply chain problems plague construction projects in Salem
For Pence Construction, a Salem commercial contractor, this year marked the first time a construction project hinged on dimmer switches. All other supplies are in, but Brent Pence, owner and senior project manager, said they can’t have dimmable light switches…
Big jumps in food prices hit Salem restaurants, institutions
Annette’s Westgate Cafe goes through about 330 pounds of bacon a week. It’s a staple for the Salem restaurant on Northwest Edgewater Street, which has been serving hearty meals for 15 years. Owner Brian Kato Dilks said many of the…
Middle schoolers create art for micro shelter residents in months-long project
John Marshall, a pastor at Salem’s Church at the Park, said local middle school students have had a conversation over the past four months that he never heard in 12 years of Salem-Keizer public education. He said Howard Street Charter…
Marion County spending $14.3 million to construct new Health and Human Services building
Marion County officials are spending $14.3 million to build a new Health and Human Services building next to the existing location on Northeast Center Street. County officials say it’s a one-time investment that could help save hundreds of thousands in…
Contracted state hospital worker punches patient following racist slurs, hospital reports say
The Oregon State Hospital on May 28, 2021. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) A contracted worker at Oregon State Hospital last month punched a patient who moments before had hurled racist slurs at the staffer. Eric Banks, the contracted mental health technician,…
Salem area gets federal housing funds for homeless, domestic violence victims
Jayne Downing, executive director of the Center for Hope and Safety, stands in the building’s office in 2019. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Marion and Polk counties are getting around $1.3 million in federal money to help get people who are homeless…
Salem City Council approves new subdivision proposal on historic Meyer Farm
The Salem City Council on Monday narrowly approved a scaled-back plan by a developer to build over 100 single family lots on the historic Meyer Farm property in south Salem. The council voted 4-3 in favor of the city planning…