Saphara Harrell - Salem Reporter
Salem property owners to see lowest property tax increase countywide
The average Marion County property owner will pay 3% more in property taxes this year, the assessor’s office announced Wednesday. Salem residents in Marion County will pay $19.53 per $1,000 of assessed property value, down from $19.87 last year. Oregon’s…
Rocky Horror Show musical hits the Salem stage
Rocky Horror debuts at Salem’s Historic Grand Friday. (Courtesy/Enlightened Theatrics) “The Rocky Horror Show” comes to life on stage this month, bringing Salem a live performance of a cult classic that was written more than 40 years ago. The musical…
Artist creates installation with old tires, found objects
“From West to East.” (Courtesy/Junwei Zhang) When Junwei Zhang saw pieces of tire along Interstate 5 this summer, he would pull over and load them into his car. They eventually became part of an art installation at Chemeketa Community College’s…
August crime, fire service data for Salem area now available
Salem Reporter is continuing to publish monthly call data from public safety agencies in Marion County. This is a snapshot of August numbers compared to the same time last year. The data came from the Salem Police Department, the Marion…
CHECK OUT: Teddy Roosevelt, a metal show or Indigenous Peoples Day
The Teddy Roosevelt Roadshow will be at the Oregon State Capitol Wednesday. (Courtesy/Oregon State Capitol) Wednesday Ever thought you’d get the chance to hear Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, speak? Wednesday is your chance when costumed…
Inmate awarded writing fellowship plans to create dramatic dialogue about prison dynamics
Sterling Cunio. (courtesy/PEN America) An Oregon State Penitentiary inmate is one of eight people recently awarded a PEN America Writing for Justice Fellowship, which commissions writers to create “written works of lasting merit that illuminate critical issues related to mass…
Salem shops say flavored vape ban could put them out of business
A person vaping. (Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons) Before Gov. Kate Brown announced a 6-month ban on flavored vaping products Friday, local vape store employees were holding their breath. After the news was announced, Salem workers said they’re looking ahead to potential lawsuits,…
Senior residents’ pups to get fenced area thanks to nonprofit
Harold Batcheller and his dog Buddy. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) In a small corner behind a senior community in Northeast Salem, residents are preparing for a new addition – a fenced dog area. On Saturday, Fences for Fido, a Portland nonprofit…
Hops Alley among winners in downtown Salem alleyway naming
Names for Salem’s downtown alleyways were announced this week. (Anna CK Smith/ Salem Reporter) The results have been tallied. The new names of Salem’s downtown alleys are as follows: Electric Alley: Named after the Electric Building erected in 1917. Wexford…
CHECK OUT: A corn maze, haunted house or half marathon
(photo by Flickr user Mike Mozart) Thursday Come ride the rapids of a comic spectacle that follows the tale of John Wesley Powell’s exploration of the Colorado River, where story and gender can be as excitingly fluid as a white-water…