Joe Siess
Joe Siess is a reporter for Salem Reporter. Joe joined Salem Reporter in 2024 and covers city hall but also loves surprises. Joe previously reported for the Redmond Spokesman, the Bulletin in Bend, Klamath Falls Herald and News and the Malheur Enterprise. He was born in Independence, MO, where the Oregon Trail officially starts, and grew up in the Kansas City area.
CITY MEETING: Councilors approve Salem city budget for 2027, funding new outreach and cleaning programs
Salem city councilors voted 6-0 to approve the new budget for 2027 which funds expansions to city cleaning crews and the police department's Homeless Services Team. The budget also funds the Fire Department's new REACH Team which responds to mental health crises.
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Salem Mayor Julie Hoy to proclaim winners of city elections Monday night
Salem Mayor Julie Hoy on Monday, June 22, will proclaim the winners in five local elections, including for mayor, municipal judge and city council positions. Councilors will also consider adopting the city’s final budget for 2027.
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Scant snowpack won’t impact Salem’s drinking water this summer
One of the state’s warmest winters on record already has most of Oregon in drought conditions, according to state officials. In Salem, those conditions are not expected to impact the city’s drinking water supply this summer, but Marion County officials are seeing more strain on the area’s water systems due to years of drier conditions.
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County officials certify Vega Ward 6 winner, say November runoff likely for Ward 8
County officials declared Betsy Vega the winner of the Salem City Council race for Ward 6, representing northeast Salem. City officials will decide in the coming weeks whether she was a qualified candidate, following allegations that she didn’t properly file with the city recorder’s office. The election in West Salem between Micki Varney and Chris Cummings is likely to go to a runoff election in November if neither candidate gets more than half of votes after a hand count on June 25.
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Northeast residents angry as fiber-optic installation encroaches on private property
Residents in northeast Salem say contracted work crews installing fiber-optic cables for Ezee Fiber, a Texas-based internet service provider with offices in the Pacific Northwest, are invading private property and causing damage. Complaints were aired during a Northeast Neighbors Neighborhood Association meeting last week.
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Updates on commercial air service, robot security guards, Salem’s oldest tree
Here’s Salem Reporter’s monthly feature with the latest developments in recent news.
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CITY MEETING: Salem city council advances 2027 budget proposal to final vote
Salem city councilors considered public input on the 2027 budget proposal during their meeting Monday night, and voted unanimously to move it forward to a final vote on Monday, June 22. Councillors also unanimously approved their legislative priorities for the upcoming session, and annual increases in city fees and charges.
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CITY MEETING: Salem city council to hold public hearing Monday night on new budget
Salem city councilors will consider public input on the 2027 budget during their meeting Monday night, which starts at 6 p.m.. The budget is expected to be approved on Monday, June 22. Councillors will also discuss their legislative priorities and annual increases to city fees and charges.
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City officials are reviewing allegations that Betsy Vega is ineligible for council
The city of Salem said in a release Friday that Salem City Attorney Dan Atchison and City Recorder Amy Johnson are looking at information that alleges Betsy Vega, the likely winner in the Salem City Council Ward 6 race, is not a qualified candidate.
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CLASS OF 2026: Graduating senior at West Salem High School won’t let his past dictate his future
Elvis Muthee, 18, a senior at West Salem High School, decided at a young age that he had to do something great with his life. While it wasn’t easy to get to where he is today, graduating high school is just the first step into the life he envisions for himself.
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