Saphara Harrell - Salem Reporter
Haunted hot spots, murder stories on Salem’s Ghost Tour
A photo of the late Tim King leading a ghost tour. (Courtesy/Salem Ghost Tours) Austin and Christian King wanted to carry on their father’s legacy, offering Salemites a glimpse into the darker side of the city’s history. There are…
Homeless alliance convenes to help Salem area secure millions for services
ARCHES staff walk into a field for the annual point in time count on Jan. 26, 2021. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) Each month Jan Calvin looks at a screen where dozens of faces have tuned in to talk about how to…
Historic downtown Salem building turned food hall earns award for historic preservation
The Gray Belle building which houses Fork Forty at 440 State Street won an award for historic preservation. (Courtesy/Fork Forty) When Charles Weathers looked at the vacant building at 440 State Street four years ago, he saw potential. He wasn’t…
West Salem could soon have managed homeless camp after council approval
A row of pallet shelters under construction on Tuesday, April 13, 2021. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) A vacant lot along Wallace Road in west Salem could soon be the site of temporary shelters for seniors experiencing homelessness. On Monday night, the…
With $3.7 million federal grant, Marion and Polk counties plan to tackle youth homelessness
The HOME Youth and Resource Center on Union Street Northeast (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) The hundreds of young people experiencing homelessness in Salem struggle to find a safe place to sleep with only two shelters and adults’ unwillingness to let them…
Annual survey shows increasing pessimism with the city of Salem
Salem residents are more concerned about homelessness than ever and are increasingly pessimistic about the direction the city is headed in. That’s according to an annual survey conducted from Aug. 12 to 16 by DHM Research on behalf of the…
For neighbors, a planned west Salem subdivision raises concerns about stream preservation
A sign in front of 2230 Doaks Ferry Road on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) When Ken Bierly looked at the property where a subdivision is proposed in west Salem, it was obvious there was a stream. Looking…
Salem nurse delivers gift baskets to beleaguered health care workers
Kelsie Powell delivered gift baskets to nurses at Salem Hospital in September to lift their spirits. (Courtesy/ Kelsie Powell) Kelsie Powell wanted a way to lift the spirits of nurses like herself. She teaches nursing at Chemeketa Community College and…
More people riding the bus, all-renewable power needed for Salem to meet climate goals
An out of service bus at the Downtown Transit Center on Monday, April 6. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Salem would need to have a renewable energy-only electricity grid, capture all its wastewater emissions and reduce all of its trash through composting…
Marion County employees can now get paid leave if they need to isolate because of Covid
The Marion County Health and Human Services headquarters in Salem (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Marion County is now allowing employees who get Covid to be paid while they’re in isolation without using up accrued sick or vacation leave. The policy, which…