Category City News
AGENDA: Salem Public Library Advisory Board to talk public art, open house
The Salem Public Library reopens at its Broadway location on Feb. 18. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) Correction: The meeting will be held at the library’s new location on 1400 Broadway St. N.E. A previous version misstated that. The Salem Public Library Advisory Board meets Wednesday, Feb.…
Left with few options, the Salem City Council reconsiders banning sitting, lying on sidewalks
Salem city officials have been grappling with how to deal with the persistent, visible homeless problem downtown. They scrapped ideas to locate a shelter in a residential neighborhood, couldn’t find a suitable location for a temporary, low -barrier shelter and most recently flirted with the…
Salem City Council to consider modifying camping ban in Monday meeting
A homeless woman walks in front of a city of Salem public works vehicle during an eviction of a camp under the Marion Street Bridge in January. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) Stuck with few immediate solutions to homelessness, Salem city councilors on Monday night will consider…
Emails shed light on city hall’s scramble to find shelter solutions for homeless after camping ban
City Manager Steve Powers responds to questions from the a crowd of neighbors in January at Pringle Community Hall. The city later scrubbed plans to turn the hall into an emergency homeless shelter through the end of March. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) The pressure to deal…
Salem Health builds financial muscle, anticipating future growth
Salem Hospital (Caleb Wolf/Special to Salem Reporter) Salem Health’s latest expansion sounds ambitious: building a $235 million, seven-story, 150-bed tower at its centerpiece facility, Salem Hospital. A decade or two ago, such a project would have seemed gargantuan for the nonprofit Salem-based health system formally…
Salem no closer to solution for homeless campers downtown
Tents line the boulevard next to The ARCHES Project in November. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) It’s been six weeks week since Salem banned camping on public property and Salem City Council is no closer to finding a dry place to sleep for the people who have…
City clears way for land owners to host car campers
Lorrie Walker, a volunteer with The ARCHES Project, talks with Doug Pendleton at the van he lives in at Cascades Gateway Park. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) After declaring a housing emergency last week, Salem city officials now are opening the way for those living in their…
Race and political ideology could end a Salem council race before it starts
Jose Gonzalez is running for Salem City Council to represent northeast neighborhoods in Ward 5. (Courtesy/Jose Gonzalez) Over cups of coffee in recent months, Matt Ausec and Jose Gonzalez have discussed an idea that may be a little bit of a curveball for Salem voters.…
Why Salem leaders, weeks into a search for homeless shelters, walked away from new beds
Councilor Tom Andersen responds to questions from the a crowd of neighbors at Pringle Community Hall. Salem City Council on Tuesday walked away from plans to turn the hall into an emergency homeless shelter. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) For the past six weeks, Salem officials and…