Kindergarten students at Swegle Elementary play with blocks on the first day of school, 2018. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Oregon’s latest standardized test results were a mixed bag. Statewide, the percentage of students meeting state standards was nearly flat in English, math and science. In Salem, student results and changes from[Read More…]
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Salem YMCA seeks $14.5 million to replace aging building
Development director Laura Morett speaks about the YMCA’s aging Salem headquarters in front of the non-regulation size basement pool. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Salem’s YMCA is moving ahead with an ambitious plan to replace its aging building – and asking the community to chip in $14.5 million. It’s a large project[Read More…]
Willamette MBA dean resigns one month into new job
Seung Ho “Sam” Park, an emerging markets researcher, spent just one month as dean of Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management (Courtesy/Willamette University) The recently-hired dean of Willamette University’s Atkinson Graduate School of Management resigned last week just one month after starting work. Seung Ho “Sam” Park resigned on[Read More…]
Woman breaks free of attacker in Minto Brown Park
A 29-year-old woman fought off an unknown attacker last night at Minto Brown Park, escaping a man who tried to kidnap her at knifepoint, according to the Salem Police Department. Police said they arrested 23-year-old David Belluno and booked him into the Marion County Jail. He has since been charged[Read More…]
DHS seeks more than 1,000 new employees to support child welfare in proposed budget
Oregon’s largest state agency is asking for more than $1 billion to add 1,664 new employees. But the proposed salaries won’t fill Oregon Department of Human Services’ cubicles with high-paid lawyers or bolster a public relations team. It will go toward protecting the most vulnerable Oregonians; children and the elderly.[Read More…]
ACLU takes aim at Measure 11 in a plan to cut Oregon’s prison population in half
Oregon State Correctional Institution east of Salem (Salem Reporter/Aubrey Wieber) In recent decades, Oregon’s prison population has ballooned. In 2016, it was nearly five times that of 1980. In January, 14,713 people were held in Oregon prisons. Now, a civil rights group is proposing Oregon cut that population in half,[Read More…]
Chronic absenteeism: see how Salem-Keizer schools stack up
(Graphic by Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) As school kicks off, Salem schools are trying to reduce student absenteeism. Students who miss 10 percent or more of school are less likely to graduate on time, and districts across the country are looking at improving attendance as a way to improve graduation rates.[Read More…]
Secretary of state remains mum on health details, says he’s feeling better
Joining by phone, Secretary of State Dennis Richardson struggled to participate. When asked at the beginning of the call if he could hear, Richardson stammered for a couple seconds before a staffer jumped in. He was then silent for 18 minutes. Gov. Kate Brown, leading a meeting of the State[Read More…]
Local unions say little impact from court ruling on fees
In the wake of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision some billed as a death knell to organized labor, unions in Oregon say the impact has been minimal. Some have even found a silver lining. “It is a financial hit, but I think it is less significant than they people[Read More…]
