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. A Space Age fuel truck[Read More…]
City News
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 housing needs broadly,” said City[Read More…]
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 at the top of Salem[Read More…]
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. 12 to discuss public art[Read More…]
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 idea of partially repealing the[Read More…]
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 again repealing portions of the[Read More…]
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 with downtown homeless camps in[Read More…]
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 taken up residence downtown. On[Read More…]
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 vehicles to legally camp on[Read More…]
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. Ausec is a first-term Salem[Read More…]
