Category Archives: Statesman Journal

New era at Shellburg Falls: Tweaked hikes, changed trailhead, burned but beautiful forest

One of the most popular hikes in the Santiam Canyon will look a lot different when it reopens Friday. The Shellburg Falls Recreation Area has been closed since the 2020 Labor Day Fires burned across it, torching almost 75% of its forest north of Mehama and closing access to a site beloved by Salem residents. […]
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Oregon DOJ concludes criminal investigation into rare bourbon scandal

The Oregon Department of Justice will not pursue criminal charges against Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission employees for diverting coveted bottles of rare liquor for themselves and lawmakers, assistant Oregon Attorney General Lisa Upland said in a letter Monday to Gov. Tina Kotek. The OLCC had a “long-standing agency practice” where an OLCC employee could […]
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One youth who escaped from MacLaren in custody, two still at large

A 21-year-old who escaped in February from MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn is being held at the Southwest Idaho Juvenile Detention Center in Caldwell, Idaho. Xavier Swimm was serving a sentence for attempted assault 2 and aggravated harassment in Multnomah County. Source: One youth who escaped from MacLaren in custody, two still at large

How Oregon’s response to extreme heat differs from Florida’s new law

Florida has blocked local governments from requiring employers to provide heat breaks to outdoor workers or requiring other heat exposure provisions not already required by federal law. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the ban into law in April despite the risk of extreme temperatures across the country. Last summer was Earth’s hottest on record, according […]
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Debbie Colbert selected to lead Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has a new leader — and they didn’t have to look beyond the building to find her. Debbie Colbert, the current deputy director for fish and wildlife programs at ODFW, was picked to lead an agency that oversees 1,200 employees and the state’s vast range of fauna. Source: […]
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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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