Good morning!
Reader response to our special fund-raising drive is breath taking.
As I’ve shared before, we’re launching the most ambitious reporting project in Salem Reporter’s history.
A nationally-recruited reporter coming aboard in July will focus on a deep, sustained examination of how our schools are performing, how nearly $1 billion a year is spent, and what results our community is getting.
Strong schools matter to everyone in Salem. They matter to families. They matter to employers who need skilled workers. They matter to nonprofits, neighborhoods and taxpayers. And they matter to anyone concerned about the long-term challenges facing our community.
Through our partnership with Report for America, a portion of this position is already funded. That brings money into Salem.
As we launched our campaign to cover the rest of the costs, the tax-deductible donations to the Salem Reporter News Fund flowed in. The amounts ranged from $25 to $5,000 and we are grateful to every donor.
In days, we received one-fourth of what’s needed.
The strong response tells me we’re on the right track – that it matters to many of you that we are turning journalistic energy to a topic deeply important to the community. If you haven’t joined in, click on Salem Reporter News Fund to get details. Community support is vital.
Speaking of schools, Managing Editor Rachel Alexander broke the news of a major partnership between a leading Salem philanthropist and teachers. The Salem Keizer Education Association is getting a $1 million grant from the Mountain West Center for Community Excellence, the philanthropic arm of the real estate company run by Salem businessman Larry Tokarski.
With that funding, special training is planned for teachers to improve student results. One aspect is the return of the teacher home visiting program. (Tokarski was a founder of Salem Reporter but no longer has any ownership of our operation.)
Our small news team turned out a string of exclusive stories in recent days. Let’s get you caught up.
In local government reporting:
•These students literally were cooking – Salem students took top honors in state culinary competition and photos from the event are a treat.
•A handful of community leaders are getting expert help considering the public safety issues in Salem. Mayor Julie Hoy’s initial participation opened the door for this challenging program.
•The city is giving $200,000 to four local nonprofits for social services. We tracked where the money is going.
•Plans to draw down Detroit Lake continue to shift, as does the impact on Salem’s water supply.
In community news reporting:
•A local mother shares her journey through a troubled life and her efforts to put her family on solid footing. Reporter Abbey McDonald traces how tight housing conditions in Salem stand in the way.
•Oregon prisons, including three in Salem, are cutting back visiting hours to save money. That means relatives won’t have as many chances to spend time with incarcerated individuals.
•A Salem architect is turning over his award-winning practice to his son. The firm has won national awards for designs.
•In “Whatever Happened,” find out what’s become of that remodeled baseball park near Bush’s Pasture Park. As reporter Joe Siess shared, “When a project partner unexpectedly withdrew, Willamette was left in a difficult situation absorbing substantial unplanned costs.”
•Local hospital executives are hearing concerns about who will accept medical insurance carried by Salem-area residents. Reporter Hailey Cook dropped in on one recent town hall where the topic came up.
From our columnists:
•Columnist Harry Fuller reports on an eagle pair nesting near downtown.
•Columnist Mark Wardell wants you to think carefully about what emergency foods you stock at home. He writes: “A common mistake in preparedness is buying a 25-year bucket of “emergency food” that your family has never tasted.”
Finally:
•Oregon’s legislators ended the 2026 session on Friday. We’ll catch up with Salem’s legislators in the coming days to find out what they accomplished. But a bitter political fight broke out at the Capitol over the fate of a transportation measure, now advanced to the May ballot. As our colleagues at Oregon Capital Chronicle reported, Republican leaders headed to the courthouse, hoping a judge would return the public vote to the November ballot.
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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