Marion
GOVERNMENT
After fatal drug overdose, Oregon State Hospital resumes limited in-person visits for patients
Oregon State Hospital will resume in-person visits for some patients on Monday after suspending them in May after a patient died of a suspected fentanyl overdose. Officials at the state-run psychiatric facility suspended in-person visits between patients and their family and friends so the hospital could retool its visiting policies, with an eye toward preventing visitors from passing drugs or other contraband on to patients. The hospital has nearly 700 patients between its main campus in Salem and a smaller satellite campus in Junction City.
Fight against invasive water plant moves to Oxbow Slough at Minto-Brown Island Park
Crews will begin combating an invasive water plant at Minto-Brown Island Park's Oxbow Slough starting Monday. Visitors to Minto-Brown are advised to stay out of the slough during treatment times to avoid possible exposure. Treated plants will be marked with a blue-green dye to show areas treated. The herbicide is absorbed by the plants within 24 hours, and the blue dye may remain visible for weeks.
Down to the river, an unexplained fence
There was still a section of concert fencing across a new path in Monteith Riverpark Friday. It didn’t necessarily keep people from getting to the riverbank, but why keep a fence there at all?. Like others before me, I walked around the fencing Friday because I wanted to see...
Volunteers sought for Selective Service boards, a key role if the draft returns in a national emergency
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — As global tensions rise and military recruitment faces challenges, the Oregon National Guard is playing a vital role in supporting the Selective Service System, ensuring the state remains prepared for potential national emergencies. The Selective Service System, an independent agency within the executive branch, is...
Ozone Treatment Facility Ensures Safe Drinking Water for Salem Customers
The Geren Island Water Treatment Facility continues to safeguard Salem’s drinking water from cyanotoxins (Microcystin and Cylindrospermopsin). Thanks to multiple investments in water treatment technologies, including enhanced filtration systems, ozone treatment and chlorination processes, Salem’s drinking water remains safe for all water customers. A recent Harmful Algal Bloom...
New Fiscal, New Hope: A Letter to the Community from the City Librarian
It’s your friendly neighborhood City Librarian. Six months ago I shared with you updates in Library funding and how it would impact hours and services. Since that time, a lot has happened, much of it related to the Budget Process and funding for Library Services. First and foremost, I would like to give a big THANK YOU to all of you who advocated to preserve library funding so that we keep our current services, hours, and staffing levels. I also want to give another big THANK YOU to our Mayor, Chris Hoy, and City Staff who helped find extra funds to help sustain us for another year. And a final thank you to the members of the Budget Committee and City Councilors who voted unanimously to support the proposal that included one-time funding for Library services. We are delighted to be able to maintain our current service levels, especially staff, through this year. I am hopeful that this time next year, the City of Salem, including our entire community, will have found a solution to the revenue problem that will support our current programs and services and allow the library to expand services, hours, and staffing to continue serving you better.
Work on Ellsworth Bridge: Here’s an update
On weekends and during the daytime on weekdays, it’s hard to see how much work remains to be done in the project to raise the height clearance of Albany’s Ellsworth Street Bridge. I asked ODOT for an update on the status of the Ellsworth project. Mindy McCartt, the...
Silverton opens new $20 million city hall and police station without raising taxes
The only thing missing from Silverton’s new city hall and police station is the trash cans. After nearly a decade in planning and development, the 26,000 square foot, $20 million building located at 401 North Water St. is open for business. The city was able to build the new...
On the riverfront path, what you can see
Big important news happens elsewhere, but on Albany’s Dave Clark Riverfront Path there are little things to notice and to see. For instance, on Friday I noticed that a broken rail on the path’s roughly 40-year-old boardwalk under the Ellsworth Street Bridge had been fixed. When I called...
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.