Category City News
Salem’s economy will be driven by housing choices, local leaders say
The availability of people to take local jobs and homes to house them are expected to drive Salem's economy in 2023. Interest rates and foreign affairs could also ripple through Salem, local leaders say. Salem Reporter surveyed them on their outlooks for the year.
UPDATE: Police find teen reported missing from Salem
The Salem Police Department on Tuesday afternoon asked for the public's help in finding a missing 17-year-old named Warren.
How Salemites can testify during the 2023 legislative session
People can sign up online to provide testimony for a bill as soon as it is scheduled for a public hearing. Paper sign-up sheets won’t be available at the Capitol as they were for pre-pandemic sessions.
Covid weekly report for Jan. 13: local cases increase
In the past week, the Oregon Health Authority reports four newly identified deaths of local residents with Covid.
Salem seeks help with public safety costs, homeless services during 2023 session
As legislators return to the Oregon Capitol, city leaders are pushing for bills that would help Salem balance its budget and get regular payments from the state for the extra fire and medical costs incurred from being the state capital.
City has six months to steer budget away from cliff
The budget committee met Wednesday evening to discuss the next five years of funding firefighters, city streets and more. “We literally have wrung this system and organization dry,” said City Manager Keith Stahley.
Woman sues Oregon Youth Authority, alleging teen on parole shot her in 2021
The lawsuit filed Tuesday alleges state officials knew Gerardo Trujillo-Torres, now 18, had assaulted others and was involved in a gang when they paroled him. He is now charged with killing one person and seriously injuring another in a Salem shooting.
Man sentenced to 25 years for driving drunk, killing 4 in Salem homeless camp
“I have no doubt the thought has come to your mind that because these people were homeless, they were less human. You could not be more wrong,” a relative of one of the victims told Enrique Rodriguez, Jr. at his sentencing Wednesday.
Longtime Salem public works director retires
After 28 years working for the city of Salem, Peter Fernandez is learning to enjoy the streets, parks and infrastructure he helped develop from a layman’s perspective.