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. 10 meeting and was restlessly[Read More…]
City News
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 effect until an indoor or[Read More…]
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 half dozen emails from downtown[Read More…]
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. Tuesday. When the library opened[Read More…]
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. A Space Age fuel truck[Read More…]
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…]
