Category Government
Petitioners promoting measure to limit self-checkout get nod from Oregon Supreme Court
(Courtesy/Creative Commons) SALEM — Are they an annoyance? A convenience? Do they destroy jobs? A federation of Oregon workers wants voters to issue a verdict on the self-checkout kiosks becoming more prevalent at grocery stores. A petition to limit each grocery store to two of…
Why Salem leaders, weeks into a search for homeless shelters, walked away from new beds
Councilor Tom Andersen responds to questions from the a crowd of neighbors at Pringle Community Hall. Salem City Council on Tuesday walked away from plans to turn the hall into an emergency homeless shelter. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) For the past six weeks, Salem officials and…
From guns to wildfires, legislators heading to Salem soon to push changes
Oregon State Capitol (Caleb Wolf/Special to Salem Reporter) SALEM — Legislators will roll up their sleeves for some speedy politicking in February, tackling some of Oregon’s thorniest problems. When they gather for the month-long legislative session, legislators want to improve the state’s care for people…
Salem declares state of emergency on homelessness, but scraps shelter plan
City Manager Steve Powers responds to questions from the a crowd of neighbors at Pringle Community Hall. Plans to turn the hall into an emergency shelter were scrapped Tuesday night. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) Salem City Council officially declared a state of emergency around homelessness Tuesday…
Public records council focuses on plan to ensure independence
Ginger McCall (Courtesy/Oregon Secretary of State) Oregon’s Public Records Advisory Council meets Wednesday, Jan. 22, to discuss a legislative proposal to carve out its place as an independent agency and office under the governor. A lobbyist for the League of Oregon Cities has proposed amendments…
State of the City 2020: What local leaders think
Mayor Chuck Bennett responds to questions from the a crowd of neighbors at Pringle Community Hall. The city plans to turn the hall into an emergency homeless shelter through the end of March. (Troy Brynelson/Salem Reporter) Salem’s homeless residents, the city’s budget and infrastructure will…
AGENDA: Salem Area Mass Transit District to determine what to watch during legislative session
A Cherriots bus on State Street outside the Oregon Capitol (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) With the Legislature slated to convene next month for its 35-day session, the board that oversees the Salem Area Mass Transit District is preparing a list of items it’ll keep an eye…
Oregon 1 of 5 states to get new legal help for journalists; Salem Reporter participating
Oregon is one of five states where journalists will soon receive free legal help, the national Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press announced Tuesday. The Local Legal Initiative fund will employ a lawyer in Oregon to help defend local newsrooms throughout the state against the…
Neighbors unsettled over plans to turn Pringle Hall into emergency homeless shelter
City Manager Steve Powers responds to questions from the crowd of neighbors at Pringle Community Hall. The city plans to turn the hall into an emergency homeless shelter through the end of March. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) Neighbors of a community center near downtown Salem made…