Category City News
Salem employee sues the city for racist workplace harassment
A Salem city employee who claims he endured harassment from his supervisor because of his race has sued in U.S. District Court. Jose Botello, a former fleet maintenance technician who is Latino, claims in the lawsuit that his supervisor, Michael Gandolfi, told him in September…
Coronavirus outbreak could affect Oregon’s economy, including exports
An image of the coronavirus from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The emergence of the coronavirus could put a damper on the unprecedented expansion of the Oregon economy. A full-blown recession could be on the horizon if the virus disrupts supply chains,…
Salem councilor tries to find middle ground in sit-lie but some service providers are dubious
An idea to bridge the divide between protecting an area that the city has spent millions investing in and humanely treating the homeless in Salem may have come in the throes of an illness. Councilor Cara Kaser got sick after the Salem City Council’s Feb.…
Salem City Council moves forward with sit-lie – with some conditions
The Salem City Council is moving forward with a plan to ban sitting and lying on public sidewalks — with provisions. Councilor Cara Kaser made a motion to go ahead with the ban on Monday, Feb. 24, with a stipulation that it wouldn’t go into…
Salem mayor pushes for ‘sit-lie’ in the face of increasing uproar over homeless problem downtown
Mayor Chuck Bennett responds to questions from the a crowd of neighbors at Pringle Community Hall. The city scrapped plans to turn the hall into an emergency homeless shelter last month. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) Each day Mayor Chuck Bennett opens his electronic inbox to a…
Salem library packed as new location opens
The Salem Public Library’s new location on Northeast Broadway St. was full two hours after it first opened on Tuesday, Feb. 18. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) After a brief hiatus, the Salem Public Library re-opened its doors at its temporary location on 1400 Broadway St. N.E.…
Salem says drinking water is safe after fuel spill Sunday
A portion of Highway 22 has to be excavated and rebuilt following a fuel truck spill Sunday. (Courtesy/Oregon Department of Transportation) Salem’s water is safe to drink following a fuel tanker spill Sunday morning on Highway 22, the city said in a news release Monday.…
Apartment development to become easier under city code changes
Salem wants to make it easier to build apartments and other multifamily homes. Changes aimed at accomplishing that were announced last year, and the Salem City Council is expected to vote on them later this month. “The main goal is to help Salem meet its…
Mayor urges Salem City Council to pass sit-lie ordinance in annual address
Delivering the annual state of the city address on Wednesday, Mayor Chuck Bennett focused on one major issue facing Salem: homelessness. “Overriding every other issue was homelessness and its impact on our city,” Bennett said, citing a citywide survey last year that found homelessness was…