By Salem Reporter
Marion County turns its attention to cleaning up debris as Santiam Canyon residents turn home. But the cleanup won’t be quick
A coffee mug rests in the ashes of a home owned by Ken Cartwright in Gates on Sunday, September 20. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) After meeting with federal officials Tuesday about efforts to clean up the fire-ravaged Santiam Canyon, Marion County…
PHOTOS: In Gates, resilience and loss as residents return
Letters inside of a melted mailbox in Gates on Sunday, September 20. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) The north bank of the Santiam River one block from Gates City Hall was still smoking Sunday as families returned to town. Gates was among…
More roads open as fire crews contain more Beachie Creek Fire
Burned trees crest the ridge north of Highway 22 outside of Mill City on Sunday, September 20. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Fire crews have reported progress on containing the Beachie Creek Fire’s western edge and more areas have had evacuation orders…
The Salem area continues its return to work
Each of Oregon’s 36 counties saw gains in employment in August. (Courtesy/Oregon Employment Department) In a sign that the local economy is recovering from the pandemic, the Salem area saw its unemployment rate drop for the fourth straight month. The…
COLUMN: From free to hundreds of dollars, Medicare Advantage premiums can be confusing. Here’s how to compare
A Salem woman planned to move to southern Oregon to be closer to family. She was enrolled in a Medicare Advantage insurance plan that she liked, but she learned it was unavailable in her new county. She sought help from…
He failed high school, but Salem artist went on to acclaim as an artist and a gallery now provides a fresh look
Roger Hull, a Willamette University professor emeritus, curated a new exhibition at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art featuring the work of the late Clifford Gleason, an artist who had a “very difficult life.” (Ron Cooper/Salem Reporter) The historically significant…
Overnight rains bring relief for firefighters and Salem residents
Firefighters pick up the remains of a destroyed fire command at the Gates Elementary School on Wednesday, September 9. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Rains that fell in western Oregon starting Thursday night brought relief to fire crews battling the Beachie Creek…
AROUND OREGON: They packed and waited for signal to flee Beachie Creek fire. Their bodies were found days later
A destroyed historic egg hatchery on the property of Michael and Lori Chauran in Mehama on Wednesday, September 9. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Travis Cook heard about wildfires spreading about 10 miles from his mother’s home in rural Marion County. That…
Weather forecast could spell relief for firefighting, but recovery will be a long haul
Gov. Kate Brown talks with a fire commander in the Santiam Canyon on Thursday, Sept. 17. (Office of Gov. Kate Brown photo) Residents of communities in the fire-ravaged Santiam Canyon may soon have limited access to their homes. Firefighters are…
A run for his life: Retired Keizer teacher escapes blaze in swimsuit, T-shirt
Scott Torgeson, who taught Keizer students for more than 30 years, is undergoing multiple surgeries after sustaining burns to 20 percent of his body. After spending Labor Day kayaking on Detroit Lake with members of his family, former Clear Lake…