Category Marion & Polk County
What to know about the Polk County Fairgrounds levy vote on May 20
West Salem and other Polk County voters will find a measure on their May ballot to increase property taxes to fund renovation and construction projects for the Polk County Fairgrounds. This is your guide to the measure, and what happens if it passes or fails.
Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell announces run for governor
Danielle Bethell, who’s in her fifth year as a Marion County Commissioner, is seeking the Republican nomination for governor to challenge Gov. Tina Kotek in 2026.
VOTE 2025: What to know about the May 20 special election in Salem
Your May 20 election ballot may include four school board seats, a new Salem city councilor and a Salem property tax levy. Here's a guide to learning more about local races, checking your party registration and more.
‘Accident turned crime’: woman gets probation for fatal hit-and-run crash in West Salem
Micah Blacksmith, 37, pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of a crash that killed 63-year-old Steven Bishop of Salem, a cancer survivor who loved music and collecting rocks.
Commissioners call for police in schools, celebrate wildfire recovery in State of the County
The three Marion County Commissioners talked about their top priorities during the annual State of the County address and recognized some of the achievements made in the last several years. The commissioners discussed expanding law enforcement, behavioral health and housing.
Takeaways: Report finds shootings tripled in Marion County over 10 years
A review commissioned A recent report released Tuesday by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office found that one in three shootings across the county over a decade involved gang members as victims, suspects or both. The involvement of teenagers in gun violence skyrocketed during that period.
Bridgeway ends plan for recovery home as local treatment providers brace for state funding cuts
Two of Salem’s largest addiction treatment providers will lose at least $1 million in annual state funding for recovery services due to funding changes made by the Oregon Health Authority last week. Bridgeway Community Health will be unable to fund a new men’s stabilization center, which it planned to open early this year.
Marion County public safety officials plan new team to address rising gang, youth violence
A review commissioned by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office found that shootings outside Salem city limits more than tripled over the last decade. The county’s public safety officials now hope to convene a multi-agency team to tackle skyrocketing gang and youth involvement in gun violence.
Marion County officials quiet on findings of delayed gun violence research
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office last March hired researchers to analyze shootings throughout the county and planned to release a report by late summer. After months of delays, the agency won’t say when it will publicly share its findings.