John van Dreal sits in his office at the Salem-Keizer School District (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) When John van Dreal started a new job four years ago, his bosses were thousands of miles away. Van Dreal, a school psychologist specializing in threat assessment, was heading up the Salem-Keizer School District’s new[Read More…]
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PUBLIC MONEY, PRIVATE EMPIRE: Greg Smith serves many public masters – for a price
Greg Smith appears before the Oregon Transportation Commission in February, representing two different clients of his economic development business. (Mark Ylen/Mid-Valley Media) Greg Smith is a juggler. In La Grande, he holds a full-time job directing Eastern Oregon University’s Small Business Development Center. A hundred miles away in Boardman,[Read More…]
Uncategorized Salem hires chief financial officer in midst of budget woes
Salem City Hall (Salem Reporter files) The city of Salem has hired a chief financial officer, an ostensibly new position of budget expertise, the city announced Monday. Robert Barron started Monday, according to the announcement. He will oversee the city’s budget in a time of rising costs, which have led[Read More…]
Six Salem-Keizer schools to start 2019-20 with new principals
Straub Middle School principal Laura Perez, top left, is taking a district job in the fall. New principals for the 2019-20 school year are Beth Freeborn, top center, (Battle Creek), Ingrid Ceballos (Four Corners) Karl Paulson, bottom left (Forest Ridge), Tom Charboneau (Gubser) and Dave Berthlof (Pringle) Six local schools[Read More…]
Uncategorized Three teens killed in crash with suspected drunken driver
Trinity Watt, left, Makayla Tryon and Madison Capobianco in school photos (Courtesy/Salem-Keizer School District) A Salem man is facing manslaughter charges after allegedly causing a crash that killed three Salem and Keizer teens Sunday night near Salem Parkway and Cherry Avenue Northeast. Juan Carlos Rodriguez Palacios, 25, is accused of[Read More…]
Uncategorized Friends since elementary school, North Salem grads enlist in Marine Corps together
Rafael Peña, left, and Noel Zarate, hold a Viking Battalion trophy earned in competition. (Courtesy North Salem JROTC) This profile is part of a series on Class of 2019 high school graduates. Salem Reporter asked high schools in Salem and Keizer to select an outstanding graduate – someone who accomplished[Read More…]
News coverage of Salem expanding with additions to Salem Reporter
Saphara Harrell and her Aussie, Crosby. Harrell will be covering community events as a reporter for Salem Reporter. Salem is about to get a lot more news about the community as Salem Reporter expands its news team. In a time when newspapers and news organizations are cutting coverage, this expansion[Read More…]
DOME DIGEST: Holocaust education, ranch tourism, olive oil production among bills passed this week
(Caleb Wolf/Special to Salem Reporter) SALEM — These bills might not make headlines, but make a difference to Oregonians all the same. Each of these bills passed their last hurdle this week and now head next to Gov. Kate Brown for her signature. NEVER FORGET: Oregon schools will be required[Read More…]
Uncategorized Aspiring engineer Beatriz Perez graduating from Teen Parent Program
Beatriz Perez with her son Aiden at the Teen Parent Program playground on the Chemeketa Community College campus. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) This profile is part of a series on Class of 2019 high school graduates. Salem Reporter asked high schools in Salem and Keizer to select an outstanding graduate –[Read More…]
Gov. Brown proposes new plan to withhold kicker money
SALEM — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown wants to limit the money that Oregonians could get back through a popular tax rebate next year. Oregon is currently expected to hand about $1.4 billion back to taxpayers in 2020 through what’s known as the “kicker.” Created by the legislature in 1979 and[Read More…]
