Category Government
Why a Marion County legislator became Oregon’s Senate Republican leader
Sen. Fred Girod, R-Stayton. (Courtesy/Oregon Senate Republicans). Earlier this spring, Marion County saw its political profile rise when Sen. Fred Girod, R-Stayton, was elected to lead the Senate Republican caucus. Girod, a dentist who was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 1992,…
Why Salem City Council nixed an affordable housing development over an office space
DevNW is hoping to turn Evergreen Church into 14 units of affordable housing but faces another hurdle after Salem City Council denied it funding. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) A developer seeking to build 14 units of affordable housing faced a set back after the Salem City…
Salem starts construction on future amphitheater site
A rendering of the Gerry Frank Salem Rotary Amphitheater, slated to be built at Riverfront Park. (Courtesy of the Rotary Club of Salem) The city of Salem on Monday started construction on the groundwork for the Gerry Frank Salem Rotary Amphitheater in Riverfront Park that’ll…
To acknowledge the civil rights movement locally, city councilor pushes for MLK Avenue
City Councilor Chris Hoy is pushing for Center Street to be renamed Martin Luther King Avenue. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Jonathan Jones has wanted a recognition of the civil rights movement in Salem for some time but felt that the current moment was the right time…
Salem’s budget by the numbers: here’s what the city is doing with taxpayer money
Salem City Council Chambers. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) The Salem City Council on Monday passed a $748 million budget as the city faces an economic crisis and communities across the country are demanding significant changes to police funding and practices. Hundreds of citizens sent emails to…
Should Salem reallocate some of the police budget? Here’s what local citizens are saying
Salem City Council Chambers. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Hundreds of comments have poured into Salem city councilor’s inboxes ahead of Monday’s city council meeting where it will vote on the 2020-21 budget, including the Salem Police Department. All told, more than 290 people wrote to council…
AGENDA: Salem City Council will vote on budget Monday
Salem City Hall. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) The Salem City Council will consider adopting a $752 million budget at its Monday, June 22 meeting. The council has received hundreds of pages of comments from citizens about police funding as conversations emerge nationwide over reallocating some money…
To increase seating capacity Salem will close a portion of State Street to allow for outdoor dining
A couple sits outside of Ritter’s Housemade Foods during the first phase of Salem’s reopening on Friday, May 22. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) One Salem street may resemble something closer to a European café Saturday when the city launches a pilot program intended to expand restaurants’…
Nearly 100 apply as the city extends aid to Salem businesses left out of relief efforts
Cindy Gerkman prunes geranium planters outside of Ritter’s Housemade Foods on May 12, 2020. Ritter’s Housemade Foods reopened for business on Friday for take-out and delivery after being temporarily closed. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Small Salem businesses left out by other programs intended to provide help…