Salem, Oregon News
This year, county voters will select over half the board seats at the Marion Soil and Water Conservation District. The district focuses on protecting and improving soil and water quality throughout the county through answering questions, holding educational events and funding projects to stabilize and protect the region’s water quality.
Oregon election officials shut down the state’s election phone lines due to calls from out-of-state that were sharing misinformation about Republican candidate Donald Trump.
Over a dozen of Salem’s volunteers will be recognized on Sunday at an awards ceremony at the Salem Public Library. This year, volunteers spent almost 160,000 hours working to help their neighbors, parks and community.
Officials with the two Portland-area counties worry they’ll lose millions under a new funding formula set to go into effect next year.
Councilors authorized an internal city loan to support medical staffing and ambulance and equipment purchases, in preparation for the city’s takeover of ambulance service from private provider Falck in July 2025. The fire department expects to pay back the loan over a 10 year period with money generated by the new ambulance system.
Incumbent Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Democratic challenger Janelle Bynum sparred over abortion, homelessness and public safety.
Results of a city-commissioned poll released Wednesday show any city effort to bring a property tax increase to voters would likely fail at the ballot box. Councilors will discuss the results and what they mean for the city’s budget deficit at a meeting Monday.
Schools across the U.S. are getting more serious about banning cellphones during the school day. McKay and Sprague high schools, and Houck, Stephens, Straub and Whiteaker middle schools will start using lockable pouches over the next few months.
Events in Salem this week include a Celtic New Year festival, a fall book sale at Salem Public Library and continued Halloween haunts and activities.
City Councilors Julie Hoy and Deanna Gwyn approved a land use appeal that directly benefited Mountain West Investment Corp. a major campaign donor. Salem’s charter advises councilors to recuse themselves from certain votes concerning large donors.
