What's making news in Salem you might have missed

Good morning………

The Thanksgiving holiday week put Salem in a cheery mood.

Western University of Health Sciences Lebanon Oregon

The weather was decent. Black Friday seemed to offer more discounts than ever. And then there were the events, from a community dinner on Thanksgiving to the anticipated holiday parade downtown on Friday.

Reporter Joe Siess spent time at BlondZee’s Guest House Restaurant, where staff and other volunteers served up a free holiday meal on Thanksgiving. This Salem tradition dates back to the 1970s.

And just in time for Turkey Day, reporter Abbey McDonald shares the fun story about a Facebook group that tracks wild turkeys through Salem.

Speaking of turkeys on the move, columnist Kimberli Fitzgerald served up a fun look at the history of Turkey Trots. Salem’s first was two decades ago but the first one was back east in 1896.

Managing Editor Rachel Alexander has a story to help you help others this season. She reported on drives benefiting local organizations serving kids, families, seniors and others in need. “Needs include items like toys and warm clothing,” she reports.

Plenty of events are set in December around Salem. Our monthly calendar helps you plan where to spend your free time.

Our team profiles a couple of key nonprofit leaders, one coming and one going.

Jayne Downing is retiring after years leading the Center for Hope and Safety.

“The survivors I’ve been able to help would be number one, for me. If I made some small difference in their life, that’s incredible,” she said in an interview with Abbey McDonald.

Bridgeway Community Health announced who will replace retiring CEO Tim Murphy. Reporter Madeleine Moore provides the remarkable background of Carlos Texidor Maldonado.

And late election results show a change is coming in representation for people in the House district covering an area north of Salem to Woodburn. As our colleagues at Oregon Capital Chronicle reported, Democrat Lesly Muñoz pulled off an upset.

In courthouse news, Salem Health is pushing back against claims it illegally monopolized cardiac care. A new court filing detailed the defense against a local lawsuit by competitors.

Reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian has been reporting on the case of a DEA agent responsible for the 2023 death of a Salem cyclist, Marganne Allen. He spent a day in federal court in Eugene, listening as the agent, Samuel Landis, gave his version of events as he seeks to avoid criminal prosecution.

In city news, the Salem City Council is edging closer to asking voters for more property tax money. Joe Siess reports on how a measure could tax residents more to pay for parks, the library, and Center 50+.

And a consultant concludes that starting commercial air service in Salem was a winner for the community. Calculations show new visitors spent about $19 million locally.

In school news, Rachel Alexander boils down the blizzard of numbers concerning local school performance. She provides you a quick look at what the numbers mean.

On a regular basis, our team gets thoughtful notes from readers like you. We are tipped to news stories. We are alerted to errors, which is truly appreciated. We get good questions about unfolding issues. And we get pats on the back, which are always appreciated in these challenging times for journalism.

A couple of recent examples:

*”Just wanted to let you know how impressed I am on your reporting of news and events in Salem. The writing from your team is of high quality which is nice to see/read.”

*”I want to reiterate how much I have enjoyed reading the Reporter and I’ve learned a lot about the city of Salem (we moved here just before the pandemic). Keep up the great work!!”

For these and other notes, we thank you.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK:

Laura Perez, co-founder of Simply Birthdays, picks up two cakes at the Center Street Safeway to take to Church at the Park’s family shelter on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. Simply Birthdays provides gifts, cake and decorations for children living in shelters. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter)

I’m always delighted to hear from readers. Send me your ideas, your questions, even your concerns or complaints. My direct email: [email protected].

Let’s go have a great week and do something helpful for the community.

– Les Zaitz, co-founder and editor, Salem Reporter

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