On the lawn of her Salem home, Amy Vandegrift has installed plastic headstones, one for every thousand American lives lost to COVID-19. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Oregon’s population growth has been slowing for several years, but in 2020 the state hit a remarkable milestone – deaths appear to have outnumbered births[Read More…]
Latest News
Wildfires, vaccines, cybersecurity and more is on state’s auditing agenda
Secretary of State’s office. (Caleb Wolf/Special to Salem Reporter) Unemployment insurance, response to wildfires, vaccine distribution, domestic terrorism and how cannabis regulations could correct racial injustice are among the topics that will be scrutinized by state auditors this year. Newly elected Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan rolled out the[Read More…]
Oregon now says most seniors, educators can be vaccinated by early April
Syringes of the Pfizer vaccine during a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Thursday, Jan. 28. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Oregon is on track to finish vaccinating seniors, health care workers and educators by early April, about a month earlier than initially expected, health officials said Friday. Oregon[Read More…]
Salem galleries, theaters get nearly $40,000 in state operating support
Jonathan Bucci, curator of collections and exhibits at Hallie Ford Museum of Art, pulls out a print by artist Rick Bartow. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Eight Salem arts organizations have received tens of thousands of dollars in state grants to help cover operating costs in 2021. The Oregon Arts Commission announced[Read More…]
Vision for Salem’s future growth available online
Richard Riffle and David G. walk through the closed spray park at Riverfront Park on Thursday, April 9. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Salem’s vision for future planning in the city is now available online. This year the city is updating its comprehensive plan, titled the “Our Salem” project, to plan for[Read More…]
Kindergarten, first graders heading back to Salem-Keizer schools March 2
James Gough, an incoming kindergartner at Kalapuya Elementary School, laughs after making a mistake on an assessment test to gauge his alphabet comprehension on Thursday, September 17. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) About 4,400 of Salem’s youngest students will be back in school buildings part-time starting March 2 under a plan district[Read More…]
Salem art gallery hosts erotic art for the month of February
“Choke” by Alycia Helbling is one of the pieces on display at Salem on the Edge for an erotic art exhibit in February 2021. (Courtesy/ Melanie Weston) When Melanie Weston opened her art gallery Salem on the Edge in downtown Salem last year, she already had one exhibit she knew[Read More…]
Market Street ramp onto Interstate 5 reopened following crash
(Caleb Wolf/Special to Salem Reporter) UPDATE 2 p.m. : Police said the crash scene has been cleared and the ramp has reopened. The Market Street ramp onto Interstate 5 in Salem is closed after a car and bicycle collision. The ramp could be closed for several hours while police investigate,[Read More…]
Older Oregonians faced one of the longest vaccine lines in the U.S. On Monday, some will finally be eligible
People wait in line outside of a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Thursday, Jan. 28. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Barbara Butzer planned to spend her first year of retirement traveling with her husband. Instead, the 65-year-old south Salem resident has been largely confined to her home since[Read More…]
Salem’s new community radio station, KMWV 98.3 FM, gets its first director
Lisa Walz, new station director of KMWV 98.3 FM. (Courtesy/ Capital Community Media) Lisa M. Walz has taken over as the first radio station manager of KMWV 98.3 FM. The station was launched in September by Capital Community Media, an organization funded by Comcast franchise fees that operates three community-focused[Read More…]