A half-million dollar land purchase near West Salem High School is among the items Salem-Keizer school board members will consider at their Tuesday meeting. Board members will hear a proposal to buy a 1.3 acre property at 1755 Doaks Ferry Road for about $500,000. The property is a single home[Read More…]
Rachel Alexander
Oregon Black Pioneers show the deep roots of African-Americans in Salem
Willie Richardson, president of the Oregon Black Pioneers, speaks about the group’s research at their Salem office. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) When Gwen Carr moved to Oregon from southern California in the 1980s, she got some skepticism from her black friends. “They said, ‘You’ll be back because there aren’t any black[Read More…]
Dogs rescued from Texas flooding need new homes in Salem
Luke, a two-year-old lab mix, is among the Texas rescue dogs waiting to be adopted at Willamette Humane Society. (Courtesy/Willamette Humane Society) Ten dogs are looking for new homes in Salem after being displaced from Texas shelters affected by heavy rains and flooding. The Willamette Humane Society took in the[Read More…]
With unexpected millions flowing, Salem-Keizer school officials add more building projects
New additions under construction at McNary High School on Aug. 23, 2019 (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Seven local schools will get more hefty remodeling projects than planned as Salem-Keizer School District executives spend an unexpected infusion of $65 million. The money is flowing because investors have been paying more for the[Read More…]
Capital Park church steps up to shelter Salem homeless in winter
Capital Park Wesleyan Church will house about 50 homeless people on below freezing winter nights, becoming the fourth Salem church to join the warming center network. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) A fourth Salem church will shelter homeless people overnight during the winter months, adding space for about 50 more people to[Read More…]
These Salem teens want a seat at the table on suicide prevention
Eric Martz, center, and other board members of Live to Tell discuss suicide prevention during a board meeting on Sept. 26, 2019 (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Eric Martz sat quietly in the third row of a school board meeting with two classmates from South Salem High School, listening to ideas on[Read More…]
“We are in danger of losing our humanity”: Willamette law professor speaks about migrant child detention
Postcards featuring the words of detained migrant children and their parents were featured at a Salem City Club presentation by Willamette University law professor Warren Binford (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) “He said that we were going to sleep on the floor. He said it was punishment.” That’s how a 7-year-old girl[Read More…]
Two volunteers needed for Salem-Keizer budget committee
The Salem-Keizer School District needs two community volunteers to weigh in on the district’s $1 billion annual budget. Two seats are currently open on the district’s budget committee, a 14-member group that meets regularly in April and May to review Superintendent Christy Perry’s budget proposal for the coming year. The[Read More…]
Kiwi berries a hit in program to get fresh fruits and veggies to Salem elementary schoolers
Bella Blessing smiles while eating a kiwi berry during her first grade class at Hoover Elementary School. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Most students in Veronica Sedlacek’s first grade class had never heard of a kiwi berry. Before serving the grape-sized fruit to them as a snack last week, Sedlacek gave them[Read More…]
Three more McNary students arrested after large fight on campus
McNary High School (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Five McNary High School students are facing criminal charges related to a fight that broke out after school last week. The fight happened immediately after school on Sept. 19 near the school’s gym. Two girls, ages 15 and 16, began fighting. “It was a[Read More…]