Joe Siess

New city policies approved unanimously by Salem city councilors Monday night mean the city cannot enter into nondisclosure agreements, or NDAs, without multiple layers of vetting.

The Silicon Valley company building an AI data center in Salem said the governor's recent directive pausing state-issued air and water discharge permits won't impact its buildout.

The prospect of 80-pound aerial drones crisscrossing Salem's skies delivering toothpaste prompted city councilors to seek preemptive regulations on delivery drones Monday night.

Marion County Clerk Bill Burgess said he wants to install two extra ballot drop boxes ahead of the elections on Nov. 5, but Marion County commissioners are delaying approval.

Marion County commissioners on Tuesday morning publicly berated the county clerk over a dispute about installing two permanent ballot boxes ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

Marion County Board of Commissioners Chair Colm Willis publicly rebuked the county clerk on Wednesday morning but ultimately voted with his colleague on the board to approve a new ballot drop box ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

Mai Vang is the current sitting Salem city councilor representing northeast Salem’s Ward 6. Vang was defeated in the May election by Salem city councilor-elect Betsy Vega, but she has challenged Vega in the Nov. 3 election through a write-in campaign. To comment on this story, use the form at the end of the report.

Betsy Vega, the Salem City Councilor-elect for Ward 6 will face a write-in challenge from her opponent and current Salem City Councilor Mai Vang in the upcoming Nov. 3 election. Vega won the election in May, but her opponent’s campaign called into question her residency within the ward. An outside attorney hired by the city found Vega is qualified, and Vang’s campaign announced a write-in campaign shortly after. To comment on this story, use the form at the end of the report.

A new city plan designed to address the impacts of drugs in the community will be a topic of discussion at the Salem City Council meeting on Monday, Oct. 26, where councilors will get a status update on the initiative's progress.

Campaign mailers sent out ahead of the Nov. 3 election featuring three uniformed city employees sitting with Rep.