Women at the Well Grace House, a women’s shelter in south central Salem, will soon expand to add more beds and services for women transitioning out of homelessness and incarceration.
HOMELESSNESS
ARCHES hopes new day center fence will help clients feel safer, deter after-hours gatherings
The ARCHES Day Center plans to install an iron fence around its downtown facility and the neighboring Coldwell Banker building. ARCHES leadership said they hope it will make the vulnerable unsheltered people who use its services feel safer.
Latter-day Saints bring haircuts to Salem family micro shelters
A community-organized event brought haircuts to over a dozen kids, teens and moms at Church at the Park’s family micro shelter site. The event sold out an Amazon wish list of hair care supplies for the families in less than a day.
Church at the Park to expand adult micro shelter site
Salem’s oldest micro shelter site, Village of Hope, plans to soon add 40 beds and pave sidewalks to accommodate unsheltered people over age 55 in Salem.
Simonka Place renovation will add space for 11 homeless women, children
Renovations to the Simonka Place women’s shelter will add more space and repair a deteriorating building. Marion County approved $1.4 million in federal funds for the project earlier this month.
COLUMN: Grace and lingering questions as teenager sentenced for murdering homeless man
Columnist and homeless advocate Lynelle Wilcox reflects on sitting through a teenager’s sentencing hearing after he admitted to beating a homeless Salem man to death.
Teenager given 7 years in youth correctional facility for beating to death a Salem homeless man
Over a year after Joshua D. Upton Jr. beat Russell Mikolas, a Salem homeless man, he pleaded guilty to the murder and received a seven-year sentence. At a sentencing hearing on Thursday, Aug. 22, the victim’s relatives described Mikolas as a kind and generous man.
Salem man loses life attempting Willamette River rescue
Derik Morganstern watched a woman jump off the Union Street Bridge into the water below. The lifelong Salemite and resident of the Wallace Marine Park encampment did not hesitate to jump in and help. She survived. He didn’t.
Salem welcomes new apartments for survivors of domestic violence
HOPE Plaza will offer 20 apartments in downtown Salem for survivors of domestic violence, stalking and human trafficking. A ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, Aug. 16, celebrated the community members who made the project happen.
Unclaimed Salem veteran to be buried with full military honors
On Tuesday, Aug. 13, Keith Thomas Skiba will be buried with full military honors at Willamette National Cemetery. The service is open to the public, and funeral directors hope it will help establish a homeless veteran’s burial program in Salem.
