People walk on the sidewalk in front of the Court Yard apartment building on Court Street Northeast on Friday, July 9, 2021. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter)
If the Covid pandemic has taught me anything, it’s that the cracks that already existed within our social fabric were deepened by isolation, lack of access to services and fears over the virus’ impacts.
What strikes me most is the people who are able to step up for others in these times of crisis. This has been a difficult year and you’ll find the stories I’ve selected are bittersweet.
A year of struggles, failed services, a lonely motel death
This is the story that sticks with me the most from this year. I wanted to tell Brian’s story, but he’d died in the weeks since I reached out to him. His story illuminates the struggles that some people who are homeless face, be it the challenge of making it to doctor’s appointments or having medication stolen.
Damage from the ice storm hit hard at the trees around Bush’s Pasture Park. (Lorrie Walker photo)
As the lights went out, Salem adapted with camp stoves and candles
I was so grateful to our readers for sending in anecdotes and photos for this story. I remember spending my day without power cooking pancakes on my camp stove and milling about Roth’s for ingredients.
Marion County heat-related deaths include unsheltered, RV residents without AC
More than a dozen people died during the record-setting heat wave in June. I talked to several people who knew someone who had died. The scorching temperatures were especially deadly to people who weren’t able to get inside or with AC.
From left, Donna Barcus, Hailyn Ayers, Mariah Butts and Aaliyah Tucker at the Fairgrounds Pavilion making Valentine’s Day bags with flowers for unsheltered women. (Courtesy/ Lisa Letney)
Hot potato: How a Salem woman came up with an idea to keep unsheltered people warm and full
Lisa Letney had an interesting idea to serve two purposes at once. She would hand out hot potatoes to people on the street to keep them warm and give them something nutritious to eat. I enjoyed writing this story and hope it gave readers an insight into the generosity of some of the people who call Salem home.
Neighbors angry over plan to bring managed homeless camp to west Salem
The idea to bring a managed micro shelter site to west Salem was met with stiff opposition that culminated in a vitriolic meeting at Salemtowne where members of the audience shouted over speakers. That idea ended up faltering because of the wetland the buildings would have been placed in.
Counter to state and national trends, Salem’s homeless women outnumber men
I was stunned to learn there were more women experiencing homelessness in Salem than men. I wanted to know why and examined some of the reasons in this story.
Salem mother tells of efforts to help son in moments before fatal police shooting
This was a tough story to write. We couldn’t get very many details about what had happened when police fatally shot a man in an incident that turned out to be suicide by cop. I set out to find out more about what transpired in early April by talking to the mother of Natzeryt “Nat” Viertel.
From derelict to desirable: downtown Salem continues to transform
Downtown Salem is changing. Newer buildings are going up, multiple multi-million investments have gone into the area and the number of people living downtown has risen in recent years as more apartment complexes have been built.
Contact reporter Saphara Harrell at 503-549-6250, [email protected].
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