Your Tuesday evening update on Salem news

Good evening, Salem.

Some ideas to make streets and sidewalks safer for students to walk to school may wait a bit longer to become reality as the state cuts money for its Safe Routes to Schools grant program.

State transportation funding was a major topic lawmakers tackled in the session that wrapped up last week.

The funding measure they passed avoided layoffs at the Oregon Department of Transportation by holding some vacant jobs open and redirecting money from other projects. That includes a $17 million cut to the school route program, which helped pay for local projects like adding a crosswalk near Four Corners Elementary.

The cut won’t affect any school route projects now underway, ODOT spokeswoman Mindy McCartt told Salem Reporter today. But the agency won’t give grants to any new projects this spring as it typically would.

McCartt said the cuts also won’t affect other local projects underway, including the Center Street Bridge earthquake strengthening work scheduled to begin later this year. She said they also won’t affect the agency’s regular cleanups of homeless encampments in Salem.

Here’s some of today’s news. Head to our website anytime for the latest in Salem.

www.salemreporter.com

Salem police chief to retire in May

Chief Trevor Womack led the Salem Police Department for five years, overseeing a recent drop in shootings and more use of data to guide policing decisions and inform the public.…

www.salemreporter.com

City councilors vote to advance new tourism fee on Salem Airbnbs, other short-term rentals

Short-term rentals in Salem might soon cost more after city councilors voted 6-3 Monday night to move forward on a new 2% city fee to fund tourism promotion. To comment…

www.salemreporter.com

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: What’s happening across Salem in March

Salem’s neighborhood associations have updates on a kids’ clothing swap, a planned oak tree removal and more in March. To comment on this story, use the form at the end…

www.salemreporter.com

Salem’s oldest known tree to be cut down in April

The city is planning to cut down an Oregon white oak that has likely been growing on Marion Street since the 17th century, due to a systemwide fungal infection that…

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Salem police chief to retire in May

City councilors vote to advance new tourism fee on Salem Airbnbs, other short-term rentals

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: What’s happening across Salem in March

Salem’s oldest known tree to be cut down in April

Donate now – fund deep reporting on schools

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