Saphara Harrell - Salem Reporter
Changes to Salem’s code would allow for managed camping, more duplexes and more chickens
Quail chicks. (Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons) Salem residents could soon keep quail and similar birds, be limited in the size of trees they can cut down and see more duplexes and triplexes in their neighborhoods once the Salem City Council passes a…
Salem plans to construct new $39 million public works building
The site of the future Salem Public Works building. Construction is set to start in January on the $39 million project. (Courtesy/ City of Salem) A fence will go up next week at 1457 23rd St. as construction is slated…
Funding shortfall to construct navigation center will be Salem’s priority for 2022 short session
The Oregon State Capitol. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) Salem city councilors hope the legislature will come through with millions to bridge a shortfall to construct a navigation center that would help homeless people move into housing. The Oregon Legislature in May…
Northwest Human Services restructures building to better serve homeless young people
A mural outside Northwest Human Services HOST drop-in center. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) In an unassuming building just north of downtown Salem, young people experiencing homelessness know they can drop in to get a meal or take a shower. Northwest Human…
NW Natural opposes Salem’s proposed ban on new natural gas hookups
A natural gas meter outside a Salem home (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) The natural gas utility that serves nearly 40,000 Salem customers is opposed to an objective in Salem’s proposed Climate Action Plan that aims to ban new natural gas hookups…
Chopped trees on south Salem property trigger review, possible fines by city
Trees cut down on a property in south Salem that led to an investigation by the city of Salem. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) A field of cut down trees on a property in south Salem triggered a review by the city…
To restore Eco Earth to its former glory, Salem Parks Foundation seeks to raise $300,000
The Eco-Earth Globe in Riverfront Park on Nov. 10, 2021. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Tiles have broken off. Moss is growing in the cracks. Pieces of continents are missing. One of the signature features of Riverfront Park for the past 18…
Relationship building is key to Church at the Park’s model in tackling homelessness
DJ Vincent stands outside of the Church @ The Park facility on Turner Road on Nov. 5, 2021. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) For DJ Vincent, homelessness wasn’t an area he chose to focus on. “It just kind of grew in my…
Salem’s economic development plan aims to help businesses recover from the pandemic
The Chang Tuh facility expansion on Wednesday, June 23, 2021. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) When the pandemic first sent many businesses into a shutdown, Annie Gorski was getting dozens of calls and emails each week. Gorski, the city of Salem’s economic…
Pentacle presents “It’s a Wonderful Life” through radio broadcast
Pentacle Theatre is hosting a live radio performance of “It’s a Wonderful Life” in December. (Courtesy/ Pentacle Theatre) Debbie Neel thinks the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” is an inspirational story that’s relevant to living through a pandemic. In…