Category Government
Salem gets money from Legislature for increased water capacity
Treatment ponds at Geren Island which ultimately becomes drinking water for Salem residents. Water reaching this point will have already been treated with powdered-activated carbon. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) Salem is getting $20 million in fresh state money to help the city avoid another water crisis…
Cuts loom as lawmakers prepare to meet
A flat-screen TV and speaker livestream a committee meeting outside of the Oregon State Capitol on Thursday, August 6. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Oregon legislators will meet on Monday to shore up a state budget decimated by the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Kate Brown called the second…
Salem begins work on climate action plan to help reduce future emissions
Englewood Park on a foggy morning. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) The City of Salem is beginning an 18-month process to develop a Climate Action Plan that’s intended to make the city more resilient to climate change in the decades to come. In July, Salem hired Nebraska-based…
Second special session to rebalance state budget called for August
The Oregon State Capitol. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) Oregon lawmakers have been tasked with plugging a $1 billion hole in the state’s budget in a special legislative session that’ll convene Monday, Aug. 10. This will be the second special session called by Gov. Kate Brown this…
State employees lawsuits target the Oregon Health Authority and the Department of Justice
Marion County Courthouse (File/Salem Reporter) A pair of lawsuits filed in Marion County Circuit Court by state workers allege mistreatment by two different government agencies. One lawsuit was filed on behalf of Dane Snyder, a major incident technical analyst with the Oregon Health Authority. The…
Contentious battle over Costco shopping center to return to Salem City Council in September following comment period
The site of the proposed Kuebler Gateway Shopping Center in South Salem pictured September 2018. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) The Salem City Council will once again consider a proposed shopping center, anchored by a Costco, on Kuebler Blvd. once the public has a chance to comment.…
The state workforce has mostly stayed intact during the pandemic. State leaders want to keep it that way
Tom Avila waits for the next truck in line at the Woodburn port of entry. (Sam Stites/Pamplin Media) As Oregon’s governor and Legislature prepare to climb out of a multi-billion budget hole caused by the coronavirus pandemic, they will likely shrink Salem’s largest employer –…
Salem seeks input on what the future of the city should look like
People enjoy the nice weather while keeping their distance in Riverfront Park on Thursday, April 9. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Salem is close to completing its vision board for the future and is asking for community input. The city’s “Our Salem” project, an update to the…
Salem to examine police department interactions, best practices through audit
Salem City Council Chambers. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) The Salem City Council unanimously voted to go ahead with an outside performance audit of the Salem Police Department to examine the agency’s policies and training as conversations about the role of policing continue to unfold nationwide. The…