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By Casey Chaffin, The West Side Newspaper The May meeting of the West Salem Redevelopment Advisory Board (WSRAB) was light on West Salem updates, with the exception of a discussion for a potential opportunity to modernize the Wallace Marine Park softball complex. Gretchen Bennett, the City of Salem’s Community Services Director, gave a brief overview of a project that’s still in the “idea stage.” The city is looking into a matching grant offered by Travel Oregon to update the

By Jennifer Haley, The West Side Newspaper This month, Jiffy Lube celebrates 40 years of being in business across Salem. The locally-owned franchise opened its first location in Lancaster in 1986, and expanded into West Salem in 1993. The anniversary celebration will take place on June 20. Customers can expect 40 percent off all services for that day. Since Jiffy Lube’s doors first opened, owner Kurtis Kent, a West Salem resident, has been at the forefront of things. Born and

By Julie Oakes, For The West Side Newspaper Five local high school seniors are going off to college with accolades and extra money in their pockets thanks to the Salem Retired Educators Association. The SREA awarded its annual scholarships at a lunch ceremony on May 15 in West Salem. The winners each receive $1,500, which is up from $1,000 given previously. The scholarships are funded by SREA members and given to graduating scholars from Salem-Keizer School District. “Our 20

By Wallace Lien, For The West Side Newspaper I love breakfast. On holidays and weekends, I enjoy getting out and letting someone else cook. A few hints: Go early, especially on holidays. Decide what you want first, then pick the place that does it best. If you order milk, expect to remind the staff. If it’s busy, don’t linger, because breakfast is a low-margin meal. Be kind and tip well. People often say there’s nowhere to get breakfast. I used to think that too. Since retiri

By Casey Chaffin, The West Side Newspaper Every month, Cassandra Hernandez walks her three-year-old to the mailbox to see what Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has in store. “It’s such a special thing for a child who doesn't have a lot of autonomy to be able to walk to the mailbox, and I get to say, ‘this is just for you,’” said Hernandez. A recent favorite book Hernandez’s child received was called Buffalo Fluffalo, which, according to the book’s description, is about a bu

By Jennifer Halley, The West Side Newspaper Salem’s award-winning, all-women’s Oregon Spirit Chorus took home second place medals on May 16 at the Regional Chorus Competition held in Reno, Nevada. 56 singers competed out of the 70 plus that make up the Oregon Spirit Chorus (OSC). “We are so thrilled and proud of our performance and of our special new medals,” said Director Kathy Scheel. The Oregon Spirit Chorus has been around since October 2005. Scheel, a West Salem resident

By Jennifer Halley, The West Side Newspaper Oak Knoll Golf Course has closed after being sold in April to Wandering In Time Productions. Located off Highway 22, this location has been a staple in the Salem Community for one hundred years. Aside from operating as a golf course, the property also hosted cross-country meets for local high schools and colleges and other athletic events. In a press release sent out by the new owners, executive producer Tracy Nietupski said, “This

By Casey Chaffin, The West Side Newspaper At West Salem Shao Lin Kempo, a local martial arts studio, everyone is welcome. That’s what Cassandra Davis, the dojo’s chief instructor, emphasizes. The goal is to offer martial arts education in an accessible manner — regardless of experience, ability, or identity. Davis has been studying Shao Lin Kempo since 1988, and she says she has always felt safe and welcome in martial arts spaces. “My favorite part is that I can be myself. I

By Mark Wardell, For The West Side Newspaper Cookies and Cache It’s that time of year; I am happy to announce the return of our 4th Annual Cookies and Cache summer series. These events are designed to blend practical field practice and neighborly socializing. We kick things off on June 16th from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at Cache 11C, located at Peace Lutheran Church (1525 Glen Creek Rd NW). We’ll be practicing the "deployment" side of things setting up Operations, Medical, and Searc

By Dr. Michelle Aldrich, For The West Side Newspaper If you grew up watching The Terminator, the name “Skynet” might still spark a little unease about artificial intelligence. While dentistry is a long way from science fiction doomsday scenarios, A.I. is quietly making its way into dental offices — and raising some very real questions along the way. Today, several A.I. programs are designed to analyze dental X-rays and highlight areas of concern: cavities, bone loss, or other

By Enlighten Healing Collective, for The West Side Newspaper This June, The Enlighten Healing Collective in West Salem will welcome community members into the Lantern Room for an afternoon of rest, reflection, and gentle healing through the Rays of Light Reiki Circle led by Nadine Schmidt of Wise Moon Healing Sun. The June gathering, titled “JOY: Finding Play & Delight in Everyday Life,” will take place Sunday, June 28, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in an intimate small-g

By Steven Trahan, For The West Side Newspaper At a large, tastefully-appointed Sneden's Landing townhouse, the Deputy Mayor of New York has just shot himself. Though it's only a flesh wound, Charlie Brock's self-inflicted injury sets off a series of events causing four couples to experience a severe attack of farce. As their tenth wedding anniversary party commences, Charlie lies bleeding in another room, and his wife Myra is nowhere in sight. The first guests, lawyer Ken Go

There was smoke. There were mirrors. There was a magician. Most importantly, there were 80 people coming together to support West Salem education.

Through these conversations, it’s clear that healthcare and affordability issues are top-of-mind for people in our community.

May is rapidly coming to a close. It has been an important month marked by local and state elections

By Wallace Dick, DDS, For The West Side Newspaper It sounds dramatic, but routine blood-pressure (BP) checks at the dental office really can be lifesaving. We measure BP not to be intrusive, but because the cuff reveals the state of your cardiovascular system — information that feelings and appearances can’t reliably provide. Three recent patients show how a simple screening can change outcomes. “Phil” came in 2021, seeking restorative care for teeth worn down over decades. H

By Justin Andress, West Side Newspaper The rich soil of the Salem area has attracted several vineyards over the last century. They dot the rolling hills surrounding the city. Few, however, take full advantage of both the natural surroundings and the rich cultural history of the Salem area in quite the same way as West Hills Vineyards. “Our family has been part of the Salem community for more than 50 years,” says West Hills Vineyards co-owner Abby Hoppe. “We’re proud to create

By Dan Shryock, For The West Side Newspaper Everyone attending the Rotary of West Salem’s “Smoke & Mirrors” fundraising dinner this month must first know the password. That’s right. You can’t enter a speakeasy without a password. More than 100 people, many costumed in 1920s attire reflecting the Prohibition era, are gathering May 21 for a night out. And while the setting is to be reminiscent of that era’s illegal “speakeasy” nightclubs, there’s nothing secretive about the Rot

By Casey Chaffin, The West Side Newspaper The City of Salem is seeking public input on the Pringle Creek Pathway project, which will connect pedestrians and bicyclists in downtown Salem with the network of park paths on both sides of the Willamette River. The path will start as a suspended bridge under the Commercial Street Bridge, continue onto a paved path along Pringle Creek, and connect to the existing pathways in Riverfront Park. Once complete, the path will make it pos

By Wally Lien, For The West Side Newspaper I love to travel, and have written many articles about my adventures for this paper over the years. Retirement has opened up more time for my passion, and I am taking advantage of it. All travel comes with some risks, especially now with international unrest. I seem to be able to dodge the trauma, at least so far. I was on a cruise in the Eastern Caribbean during the first week of January. Our ship was in the vicinity of all the nava