Category Community
For Salem’s seniors, “fix it” man always there to help
Bill Stortzum has been supervising the woodshop at Center 50+ for years. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) Bill Stortzum has kept a dollhouse in his garage for three years, waiting for its owner to be in better health before its finished. Stortzum, 68, has been a longtime…
Refugee youth choir brings joyful songs, dances to Salem
Uhuru Youth Choir. (Courtesy/Uhuru Youth Choir) Lumona and Nely Mbama remember singing in a choir every day after school at a refugee camp in Tanzania. The 17- and 19-year-olds were born in the refugee camp in the east African country after their parents fled war…
From schools to Star Wars, meet the Salem educators who spend weekends as Chewbacca
Tom Beckett, dressed as Chewbacca, greets a fan at a Star Wars Oregon event at Christmas Storybook Land in Albany on Dec. 15, 2019 (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Most people have some way of unwinding after a stressful day at work. For Thomas Beckett, it’s dressing…
PHOTOS: Magic at the Mill
Kids danced next to a lighted tree that blinked along to Christmas music during Magic at the Mill Thursday.(Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) The Willamette Heritage Center was transformed Thursday as the lawns lit up for the annual Magic at the Mill event. Families wandered around the…
EVENTS: Jingle bell walk or pub crawl downtown or light up the water near Riverfront Park
The Winter Solstice Illuminata Regatta is this Saturday starting at 5:30 p.m. (Courtesy/Illuminata Regatta) Wednesday Get bendy with a twist. Head to Gilgamesh Brewing Wednesday evening for a holiday edition of Yoga and Beer. Wear an ugly holiday sweater for the class which starts at…
Joining cities across the country, hundreds gather at Oregon State Capitol to support impeaching Trump
Hundreds of people gathered for a demonstration in front of the Capitol on the eve of a House impeachment vote. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) The word “impeach” flashed across the Oregon State Capitol on the eve of a House vote to impeach President Donald Trump. Hundreds…
Local rock favorite Wild Ire heads to California for the world’s largest music trade show
Local Salem band Wild Ire is performing at one of the world’s largest music trade shows next month. (Courtesy/Wild Ire) In the basement music venue, the Space Concert Club, Wild Ire is setting up for a show on a Thursday night. The alternative rock band…
Chemeketa hits lowest number of students in more than a decade
Chemeketa Community College (File/Salem Reporter) Enrollment at Chemeketa Community College is the lowest it’s been in over a decade, with 625 fewer students this fall than compared to last year. Nearly 11,900 students were taking a course at Chemeketa the fourth week of fall quarter,…
Keizer’s Holiday Light Parade expected to dazzle tens of thousands
The Keizer Holiday Lights Parade starts at 7 p.m. Saturday on North River Road. (Courtesy/ Keizer Police Department) The Holiday Lights Parade is nearly here, and organizers are expecting more people at the event with the recent opening of burger chain In-N-Out. Danielle Bethell, executive…