Highland Elementary fifth-grader Emma Donecker, center, shows off new Dungeons and Dragons manuals for the school’s roleplaying game club, now in its second year (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Last school year Emma Donecker and Aly Mason fought a dragon, talked to a moon goddess, adopted a dinosaur and saved a small[Read More…]
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For Salem’s seniors, “fix it” man always there to help
Bill Stortzum has been supervising the woodshop at Center 50+ for years. (Saphara Harrell/Salem Reporter) Bill Stortzum has kept a dollhouse in his garage for three years, waiting for its owner to be in better health before its finished. Stortzum, 68, has been a longtime fixture at Center 50+ and[Read More…]
Clarno finds flaws in renewable energy measures, rejects petitions
Secretary of State’s office. (Caleb Wolf/Special to Salem Reporter) Secretary of State Bev Clarno has rejected two proposed ballot initiatives that aimed to move Oregon to carbon-free energy by 2045. Her move was the second time in recent weeks that she has rebuffed petitioners trying to get measures on the[Read More…]
Refugee youth choir brings joyful songs, dances to Salem
Uhuru Youth Choir. (Courtesy/Uhuru Youth Choir) Lumona and Nely Mbama remember singing in a choir every day after school at a refugee camp in Tanzania. The 17- and 19-year-olds were born in the refugee camp in the east African country after their parents fled war in the Democratic Republic of[Read More…]
PHOTOS: Watch workers use liquid foam to preserve Salem’s Peace Mosaic
Travis Orr sprays liquid foam between a wood covering and plastic coating the Salem Peace Mosaic in preparation for the mural’s move. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Saving a mosaic on the side of a brick building was a new challenge for most of the people involved in the demolition of Salem’s[Read More…]
Homeless campers cleared from Oregon Capitol Mall
A camp pictured at Oregon State Capitol State Park on Monday morning. (Caleb Wolf/Special to Salem Reporter) More than 20 homeless residents packed their belongings Monday morning after a short stay at a state park near Oregon’s capitol building. But it remains unclear where they will go as the city[Read More…]
Wash your hands! Flu season has officially hit Salem.
Salem Hospital (Caleb Wolf/Special to Salem Reporter) Flu cases are on the rise in the Salem area, and health officials are urging people who haven’t gotten a flu vaccine this season to do so. About 145 Willamette Valley residents tested positive for the flu the week of Dec. 8, the[Read More…]
How one Salem nonprofit feeds hungry people and cuts down on food waste
When volunteers from Salem Harvest go to collect excess produce, it’s a big communal event. (Courtesy/Salem Harvest). Elise Bauman remembers the field of green beans that would have gone to waste. During the summer of 2011, a processing plant rejected the green beans grown by a local farmer after too[Read More…]
Kaser won’t seek second term on Salem City Council
Yet another seat on Salem City Council will be wide open this year. Citing major changes with both her family and her career, Councilor Cara Kaser told Salem Reporter on Saturday morning she won’t seek a second term as one of the city’s nine policymakers. Her term expires Dec. 31,[Read More…]
From schools to Star Wars, meet the Salem educators who spend weekends as Chewbacca
Tom Beckett, dressed as Chewbacca, greets a fan at a Star Wars Oregon event at Christmas Storybook Land in Albany on Dec. 15, 2019 (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Most people have some way of unwinding after a stressful day at work. For Thomas Beckett, it’s dressing up as a Wookie. Beckett,[Read More…]