Salem Reporter’s news roundup
Good morning!
For needy Salem residents, the tumult over help getting food continues.
In just 24 hours from Thursday into Friday last week:
•A federal judge in Rhode Island directed President Trump to move out anti-hunger money through SNAP, giving the president legal cover to act.
•Gov. Tina Kotek and state workers pulled off an overnight dash, getting out November’s allocation to Oregonians in a matter of hours.
•President Trump and his team moved to stop the federal order on Friday, appealing to two different courts.
•Late Friday night, the U.S. Supreme Court pressed “hold” on the order to move out SNAP benefits.
Now what?
As we have in recent days, Salem Reporter will keep up with these changing circumstances. Most importantly, we working hard to track the local response. Salem has, in many ways, rallied for those who can’t afford a full grocery tab.
Reporter Joe Siess had what appeared to be the latest on Salem’s benevolence in his story Friday afternoon.
Madeleine Moore and Hailey Cook followed with an account of how $100,000 put up by the Marion County Board of Commissioners turned into food boxes for hundreds. Volunteers from schools helped hand out the relief boxes Friday afternoon.
Earlier in the week, Marion Polk Food Share provided telling details about the need out there – and how the community has pitched in.
Along the way, we’re trying to swat down misinformation with authoritative sourcing about who gets SNAP help – and who doesn’t – along with figures on average benefit vs. average monthly food bills.
Is there an aspect of this situation you’d like to know more about? Do you have questions about information you’ve seen on social media? We’ll do our best to address them. Send your questions to me and I’ll pass them along to the team ([email protected]).
By the way, we do appreciate notes from readers. John H. noted our work on SNAP:
“I want to laud you and your staff for the detailed local coverage about how the Snaps debacle is affecting people in our local community. The in-depth coverage is important not only for alerting citizens how to help, but it also goes toward the important building of a commonly shared idea of our community as well.”
Thanks for the kind words, John.
Salem produced plenty of other news in recent days.
In news on community care:
•Marion County commissioners are leaning towards helping the Salem Fire Department with street responses to those in crisis.
•Parents getting care for addiction issues now have a new place to keep their families together meantime. As our story said: “It’s the latest expansion of county treatment and housing services to keep families together while parents navigate addiction treatment and recovery.”
•Citizens used a recent meeting of the Salem City Council to criticize Mayor Julie Hoy’s role seeking to repeal a state law governing homeless camps. The mayor responded. A few days earlier, she shared views during another local meeting. We quoted her: “It’s not about criminalization, it’s not about sweeping camps, it’s not about an issue of human rights, it’s simply about local control and each individual municipality’s way of dealing with their very individualistic problem and situation and issue that they’re dealing with.”
•Northeast Salem is getting a new community service hub as a church converts into a nonprofit operation.
In school news:
•Once again, the Salem school system is looking at shaving costs to balance its budget. A long process is ahead to decide what gets cut.
In more encouraging news:
•Caboose 507 needed a lot of care to be brought back to life. Learn the story of what’s now an exhibition hall of sorts at the Willamette Heritage Center. As the story said: “Caboose 507 was first put on the tracks in 1909, traveling on the Oregon & California Railroad, and later the Southern Pacific Railroad.”
•By far, our most popular story was about a couple operating a Mexican bakery in Salem. As Hailey Cook reported: “They are known for making traditional Mexican breads, cookies, cakes and other pastries, along with specialty coffees. Everything is made from scratch, from the buttercream to the doughs baked into 30 different variations of bread.”
From our columnists:
•Now’s the time to get ready for those winter storms that can turn out the lights and block roads. Mark Wardell provides important advice.
•Those geese are back. Not, not Canada geese. Cackling geese. Harry Fuller explains the differences between Salem’s flocks.
•Insurance for senior citizens continues to shift. Jim Sellers expertly explains options for one type of important coverage.
And a respite from the world’s turmoils: Travel along with photographer Ron Cooper as he explores fall’s colors in the Salem area.
HAVE A COMMENT? SUGGESTION?
Have thoughts about our reporting? A story we should do? A person we should profile? Or do you have questions about how we do our work? You’re welcome to send me an email – I read every one of them. Email: [email protected].
–Les Zaitz, Editor and owner
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