Category Government
Nishioka proposes downtown ambassador team to help businesses address homelessness
Salem City Council President Linda Nishioka on Monday, April 27, will pitch a new ambassador team for downtown that would help area businesses address some of their lingering issues related to homelessness without having to make 911 calls. Nishioka said that like many things, the trick to getting such a team would be figuring out how to fund it.
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Marion County officials suggest unsolved murders, buried victims mar Wallace Marine Park
Marion County officials pushed to shut down homeless camping in Wallace Marine Park by spooling out graphic accounts of crime. They cited an unknown witness to claim murder victims were buried in the park soil. A Salem Reporter investigation established the county can’t back up that claim.
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Oregon minimum wage workers will get 50-cent bump in July
Workers in Marion and Polk counties must be paid at least $15.55 an hour starting July 1.
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Marion County Health & Human Services leaders abruptly depart under unclear circumstances
Ryan Matthews, Marion County’s Health & Human Services administrator, and Deputy Director Katrina Griffith are no longer working for the county as of Wednesday, April 22, according to an email to staff obtained by Salem Reporter. It did not clarify the circumstances of their departure.
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Oregon governor signs housing bills addressing affordability, urban growth boundaries
Oregon’s new housing laws let cities expand urban growth boundaries under requirements and offer loans for developers willing to build housing units.
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The Oregon Education Association is mighty—but slipping
A loss in court and poor educational outcomes have weakened the Oregon Education Association's standing. It has responded with strikes and primary challenges to Democratic incumbents.
WHAT’S AT STAKE: How city council races could impact Salem’s development
Both conservatives and progressives agree that Salem needs more housing and generally want to cut red tape to bring in more development. But the sides often differ on how far the city should go to accommodate developers — and many aspects of development are outside direct council control.
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Meet the two Republicans vying to flip Oregon’s 5th Congressional District
Communications professional Jonathan Lockwood and Deschutes County Commissioner Patti Adair are competing to challenge Democratic U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum.
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Oregonians claw back nearly $1.6M with state consumer protection effort for scams, fraud
Fraud and imposter complaints, as well as reports related to the auto industry and telecommunications, topped the list of consumer complaints Oregonians filed in 2025.
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