Community

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 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 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 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

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

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

By Jennifer Halley, The West Side Newspaper The Wild Women Exhibit is coming back to the Independence River Art Gallery for its twenty-fifth season. Running May 28 to June 28, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the show is open to all artists across the Willamette Valley, from those who have never been featured before to seasoned veterans. None of the artwork submitted is juried, which means that if you submit a piece, you will have a guaranteed spot in the gallery for the exhibit’s duratio

By Casey Chaffin, The West Side Newspaper In April, the Willamette Valley chapter of Cake4Kids delivered their 1,000th cake to a kid in need of some birthday cheer. Cake4Kids, a national organization with 27 chapters in 20 states, recruits volunteers to bake birthday cakes for youth served by local government agencies and nonprofits. This includes foster youth, immigrant and refugee youth, youth experiencing homelessness, and other kids in need. “We partner with anyone who

A murmur of confusion runs through the gathering of theater students — why is there a picture of cheese grater in this PowerPoint? “Alright, who’s the punster?” Hannah Costa-Baker, the West Salem High School (WSHS) costume director, asks with a smile. On stage in the West Salem High auditorium, a gaggle of Advanced Technical Theater students are gearing up for their biggest “straight play” yet: The Great Gatsby. They’re buzzing with excitement and nerves: in small groups, t

The Spring show at River Gallery is in full swing. For the rest of April, visitors to the gallery in downtown Independence can enjoy Focus Artist Becki Hesedahl’s watercolor landscape paintings. The project is called “Spirit of The Forest” and looks to examine the landscape of nature in a close-up view. “My goal as an artist is to show the beauty in ordinary subjects – to engage the senses while conveying a mood,” Hesedahl said. In March, the gallery also featured a wind

Warmer, drier weather invites more bicyclists to pedal throughout West Salem for transportation and recreation. It also increases the chance of mishaps between bikes and cars. Local police say that both riders and drivers can safely share the road by looking out for each other. “Often problems are created by a lack of courtesy,” says Salem Police Sgt. Jonathan Hardy. “People often drive or ride with a sense of entitlement, and this type of behavior leads to conflict with othe

These days, the average American spends about four years at a job before they move on. It’s become common for people to keep an eye on their professional horizon. That makes Robin Green’s history an increasingly unique jewel. This month, she’s celebrating 25 years working for ACE Hardware. Long-term careers like Green’s are becoming less common in the modern workforce. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, median employee tenure across the country sits a

Since 1987, the U.S. has recognized March as Women’s History Month. Proponents for the designation say that the month gives people the time to recognize the achievements and contributions of women throughout history. One avenue for learning about women’s history in Polk County is the Polk County Historical Society and Museum. The historical society has records that go back to some of the earliest Oregon Trail travelers in the 1840s, according to Diane Weaver, a long-time vol

Enlighten Healing Collective invites participants to enjoy a peaceful and creative evening with local artist Elisa Mack for the Winter Zen Paint with Watercolor workshop March 27. Held at the Collective’s West Salem location, the March theme, “Emerging from Winter,” offers an opportunity to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with your creativity in a welcoming, relaxed environment. When: Thursday, March 27 — 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Where: Enlighten Healing Collective, 13

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