Category Archives: Statesman Journal

Warm weekend weather in Willamette Valley brings water safety concerns

After a rainy week, the weather is expected to drastically change heading into the weekend. The National Weather Service expects the Willamette Valley to see the hottest days of the year so far and potentially break records. However, the hot temperatures come with danger, as early season water temperatures remain very cold and can often […]
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New Oregon website provides resources, education about fentanyl

A new fentanyleducation website for Oregon families launched this week with the aim of reducing significant gaps in communication with teens and young adults about pills laced with the highly lethal synthetic opioid. In the last five years, 332 Oregonians aged 15 to 34 have died from drug-related causes, primarily from fentanyl, according to the […]
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Intersections in, near Salem, Oregon that have the most crashes

Two downtown Salem intersections within a block of Center Street Bridge and the Marion Street Bridge over the Willamette River are among the worst for crashes in and around Salem, according to Oregon Department of Transportation data. The data comes from driver and police crash reports submitted to the Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services […]
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EPA, DEQ investigating red substance in ditches following barn fire

An unknown red substance has been flowing through drainage ditches in the Perrydale area since a barn fire May 2, and residents are being warned to keep themselves, pets and livestock away. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took samples Monday morning, and should have results later in the week, said Dylan Darling, a spokesman for […]
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Appeals court hears case of Salem woman killed by DEA agent

Attorneys for a Drug Enforcement Agency agent who struck and killed a Salem woman riding her bicycle in March 2023 argued Tuesday before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that he had shown a plausible defense for immunity and should be allowed to continue, and seek dismissal of, his criminal case in […]
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Breitenbush Highway 46 will see long delays, shutdowns this summer

Popular Breitenbush Highway 46 will technically be open this summer, but there will be a number of delays and temporary closures likely to slow travelers. Beginning on May 15, the road linking Detroit to Estacada will be closed at multiple times on weekdays to reconstruct large sections of roadway degraded by the 2020 Labor Day […]
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Oregon State Hospital makes changes following patient death

The Oregon State Hospital has taken steps to improve organization of and access to emergency medical equipment after being cited in April by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) following the death of a patient. Federal inspectors visited the Salem campus last month after the hospital reported the April 18 death shortly after […]
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Finalists picked for director of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Two finalists have been picked to become the next director of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Debbie Colbert and Kaitlin Lovell were selected from a pool of 30 candidates to lead an agency with more than 1,000 employees and the often polarizing task of managing the state’s fauna. Either would become the first […]
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Springfield manufacturer, Portland university among 11 fined for environmental violations

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality levied 11 fines in March, totaling $231,281. Among those fined were a Springfield wood ceiling manufacturer with hazardous waste violations, a Portland university not testing and maintaining underground fuel storage tanks and a Carlton property owner releasing turbid pond water into a stream. Source: Portland State University fined for […]
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Summer steelhead numbers best in years for Santiam, Upper Willamette

Over the past few years, summer steelhead fishing on the North Santiam River has been so bad that longtime guide Mike Ferris decided to stay home and buy a lottery ticket. “I figured that I had the same chance of winning the jackpot as catching a steelhead,” he said with a laugh. This year, that […]
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