Community

Pentacle Theatre is thrilled to announce open auditions for " The Lost Virginity Tour," directed by Karen  McCarty. Auditions are on Saturday, February 21st at Pentacle Theatre's downtown office.  When: Saturday, February 21st - starting promptly at 1:00p.m.  Where: P entacle Theatre - Downtown Office  (197 Liberty St. SE) in downtown Salem.  The story:  Four women living in an Arizona retirement community, Happy Trails Senior Resort Living, meet weekly for  their Happy Trail

Place of birth: Medford, OR How long on in West Salem: Since March 2024 If you were not brought here as a child, what brought you to the area: Transferred from Manager of Les Schwab in Fresno, CA to Manager of West Salem Les Schwab Movie/and or Musical: Anything Mel Brooks Actress and Actor: Jim Carrey             TV show: Ted Lasso Book: How to Win Friends and Influence People         Type of music: I listen to it all         Food: Classic Burger and Fries           

Neighbors, Lights, and Life-Saving Plans We held our first general meeting of the year on January 10th at Roth’s Event Center in West Salem. With a great turnout of 47 people, the morning was filled with shared learning and neighborly support. One highlight was a "show-and-tell" from Mel Ito of Salemtowne, who shared some battery-powered task lights he discovered. These are practical tools that make a world of difference during a power outage, or if we’re called to work a nig

The treatment room is warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the gray sky outside the window looking out to Edgewater Avenue. Dany De Santis Mac, sitting at one end of a long, luxurious table, explains the concept behind Miss Dany’s Place. It’s easily understood that while this may be a business, for Dany it’s a labor of love. “I am very passionate about what I do,” Dany says, “and when you follow your passion, you're going to be good at it. My hands have been very blessed. I

Pentacle Theatre is pleased to announce the continued offering of its live captioning services through an ongoing partnership with Cue Captions, a locally founded company dedicated to  making live theater accessible to Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing audiences. This partnership reflects Pentacle Theatre’s commitment to ensuring that all members of the community can experience the magic of live performance without barriers. Cue Captions was founded by Ben Cavaletto, a professional in

For more than three decades, Capital Manor has been a cornerstone of senior living in West Salem, offering far more than retirement and memory care services. Under the leadership of David Lewis, Capital Manor has grown into a vibrant, close-knit community known for its warmth, laughter, and deeply rooted sense of connection. Capital Manor is a long-term living and memory care facility that has served residents for over 30 years. A proud 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a team of near

Place of birth: Portland Oregon How long in West Salem: Although I grew up and currently live in Amity, I worked in West Salem for Judy Vivier, CPA since 2007, where we started West Salem Tax. I moved away for a bit, then moved back and bought West Salem Tax from Judy. I love West Salem: it has a small town feel, but is part of a big city. Profession: CPA Other prior professions: CFO, controller, longshoreman, farmer, truck driver, stay at home mom. Favorites: Movie/and o

In the world of content creation, Matty Tingles is a household name.  Known primarily for his YouTube Channel filming ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response) videos, Matty, whose last name isn’t actually Tingles, but Almendinger, jumped on the podcast scene three years ago.  “I had all the equipment for it, and I was like, let’s just try it,” Matty said. “It’s been really fun to see it grow and see it take on its own life, separate from all of my other channels.” Already

What Comes First? If you ask someone what the first steps are to becoming better prepared, you'll likely hear answers like making a plan, building a kit, achieving two weeks (or more) of readiness, and being informed about risks. These are good; they are all bedrock activities for becoming better prepared. Making an emergency plan involves discussing with your family where to meet if separated, how to communicate, and what tasks each person is responsible for, ensuring everyo

This month, history came alive at Brunk Farmstead.  A guided tour over the weekend of December 6, led by volunteers clad in period costumes and armed with a wealth of knowledge about the century farm, transported participants back to the eighteen-hundreds, when the area was just getting on its feet as an established county. The Brunk House, owned by the Polk County Historical Society and located just off the Salem-Dallas Highway, was built for original owners Harrison and Emi

Pentacle Theatre is thrilled to announce that its beloved Acting Workshop with Jo Dodge, a transformative experience led by one of the region's most respected theater artists, is returning this spring. Since founding the class in 1981, Jo Dodge has trained and inspired over 2,000 students, leaving an indelible mark on our community's creative spirit and stagecraft. Jo Dodge's class is more than an acting workshop - it's a journey. For over four decades, Jo has helped students

As the holiday season approaches, many experience a flurry of excitement while planning gatherings, celebrations, and moments of connection with friends and family. This can be a very rich and joyful time of year. For approximately 36% of adults, however, according to a recent national survey (Experience Camps/Harris Poll, 2021), the holidays bring reminders of grief and loss of loved ones, feelings of loneliness and isolation, and, for some, the long felt absence of “normal”

When Mike Light noticed there weren't any comics in The West Side’s November edition, he sent out an email to the publication. “I said, ‘hey, wanna see some of my work?’” Light said. “And the editor said, ‘sure, send over what you’ve got.’” The cold call – or email, rather – worked. His cartoons will now be featured in the paper’s future editions. “I’m excited about it,” he said.  No stranger to submitting to various publications, his work has been featured in the Clackamas R

Looking for your 2025 Christmas Tree? The West Salem Lions Club is selling Christmas trees at ACE Hardware at 820 Wallace Road, beginning on Friday, November 28th. The Club is again selling high quality, locally grown, cultured Noble Fir, Nordman Fir, and Douglas Fir Trees.The cultured Noble Firs are available up to nine feet tall. The Nordman Firs and Douglas Firs are available up to eight feet tall. The Christmas Tree Sale is organized by the West Salem Lions Club and partn

Salem Fire Department opened its doors to the community every Saturday throughout October in recognition of National Fire Prevention Month. Fire departments and safety organizations across the country use this month each year to promote fire-safety awareness, share prevention tips, and strengthen connections with the communities they serve. This year’s theme, “Charge Into Safety,”  focused on the growing importance of safe practices around lithium-ion batteries, found in comm

Want to know the secret ingredient to earning top national recognition as a car dealership?  It’s a family-first attitude, according to Alex Casebeer, owner of Salem Capitol Auto Group.  “Our employees are number one, ahead of our customers,” Casebeer said. “We have to take care of our employees first and make sure they’re super happy, because that will bleed out to how we treat our customers.” The dealership, which represents Toyota, Subaru, Chevrolet, Cadillac and Nissan, r

It’s December! That means everyone in Salem is gearing up for a much-deserved holiday celebration. Those who want to make the most of the holidays and support their local community will find few better spots to shop than East and West Salem ACE Hardware. This year, as with every year, the store arranged an array of holiday celebrations that will brighten your spirits, support the less fortunate, and even cover your gift shopping. We spoke to store President Jeremy Mackay abou

It’s never too early to start thinking about the upcoming holiday season. There are fewer jollier ways to get in on the fun than participating in the Salem Dream Center’s Dream Maker Holiday event. Since it was founded in 2004, Dream Center Executive Director Craig Oviatt, his wife Renee, and the team at Salem Dream Center have worked tirelessly to help elevate the area’s struggling families. They oversee a variety of programs designed to improve people’s daily lives. They pr

Drive down Wallace Road or Edgewater Street today, and you'll see a very different West Salem than even ten years ago. Where family-owned shops once stood for a generation or two, we now see empty storefronts, corporate chains, or completely new developments. Imagine Tom, who's owned an equipment repair shop near the bridge for 28 years. He's assuming he'll get $650,000 when he's ready to retire – that's what he needs for the retirement he and his wife have planned. But when

I’m Dr. Wallace Dick, and I’d like to share my perspective on fluoride use from the practical standpoint of a dentist. I work alongside Dr. Michelle Aldrich, owner of Riverbend Dental in West Salem. Between us, we bring 48 years of combined experience in dentistry, and Dr. Aldrich adds another 12 years from her previous work as a dental hygienist — totaling 60 years of experience in oral healthcare. We’ve seen the fluoride conversation evolve over the years, but never with th