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Welcome back to the Westside Newspaper! We have missed you. I am back too, but not on a regular basis. I will chime in when something hits me that you readers might find interesting. In the past I have written about food, restaurants, travel, and even a little satire, not to mention the April Fool’s Day spoofs. My contributions in the future will hopefully hit on all those areas. I will be fully retired as of the end of 2025, and plan extensive travels and adventures, some of

Marion Polk Food Share’s mission is to bring people together to end hunger and its root causes. Especially when a crisis is on the horizon, like the uncertainty surrounding the distribution of SNAP benefits as the federal government shut down, which began on October 1, showed no signs of opening back up.  Vice-President of Programs Ian Dixon-McDonald said the food share saw a 19 percent uptick in traffic coming through the food banks during that stressful time, particularly t

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

What has your CERT Team been up to? On November 8th, twenty-one CERT members participated in our biannual deployment exercise at Roth’s Event Center. We develop these joint training events, held every spring and fall, in collaboration with our counterparts in the Portland NET program (which is simply CERT by another name). While deployment exercises typically involve showing up at our staging area and setting up as if a real emergency had occurred, this time we opted for a de

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

On October 9, Salem Police patrol officers responded to a residential burglary in progress in West Salem, where the victim encountered two suspects inside her home. The suspects fled in a vehicle later determined to be connected to a burglary crew under investigation by Eugene Police.   Thanks to the sustained efforts of Eugene Police detectives, Salem Police Felony Crimes Unit detectives were able to quickly identify the suspect vehicle and begin processing the scene. Salem

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

A local print newspaper is the backbone of a thriving community like West Salem. For nearly a year, however, our city has lacked dedicated print coverage of its people and stories.  Now, that changes. The West Side Newspaper returns from its year-long hiatus, ready to reconnect, inform, and unite West Salem as never before. This exciting initiative comes from Matthew Nelson and Active Media Publishing. The Oregon-based publisher has 25 years of industry experience and a growi

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

When you enter the Westgate Auto office, a big dog named Buck greets you at the door. After returning Buck’s friendly hello, you enter a pleasantly cluttered office – family photos, landscape paintings, and other memorabilia decorate the walls. The energy in the office feels less like an auto shop and more like a community center. Westgate Auto has bounced along a one-block section of Wallace Rd. NW for the past 60 years. The business, started by Leroy Barfknecht’s father in

SREA is a Non-Profit Public Charity 501(c)3 established in August 2024, ID#6095875.  Salem Retired Educators Association (SREA) invites retired educators to join this social and philanthropic organization.  SREA encourages retired educators from all levels of service to gather monthly. Their primary goal is to promote a volunteering community and raise funds for their scholarship fund, supporting graduating high school seniors in the Salem-Keizer School District. Through our

Looking to learn a new skill or refresh an old one? Salem Rowing Club offers a competitive and recreational atmosphere for adults within the Salem area.  Composed of individuals who raced at a competitive level in college, those who had never set foot in a rowing shell before, and everything in between, SRC tries to adhere to all skill levels. Within the club, there is a competitive team that travels to regattas across Oregon and Washington year-round. But if that isn’t your

Name:  Tess Aiello Place of birth:  Salem, Oregon How long in West Salem:  49 years. Only left West Salem for the 2 years my husband was active duty at Fort Carson, Colorado.  If you were not brought here as a child, what brought you to the area:  Born and raised in West Salem.  Profession:  Real Estate Agent with John L. Scott — Salem.  Other professions:  When my children were in grade school, I was the assistant to the Preschool Pastor at Salem Alliance Church, developing

Family comes first.  That’s the premise behind Pentacle Theatre’s upcoming show, “In-laws, Outlaws and Other People (That Should Be Shot).” And it’s why director Karen McCarty was drawn to the script.  “I love the way that the family comes together in the show and supports each other throughout the evening,” McCarty said.  “In-laws, Outlaws and Other People (That Should Be Shot),” written by Steve Franco in 2010, is set in Brooklyn’s high-end Fiske Terrace neighborhood. On Ch

Christina Joann, recently crowned Ms. Oregon Revolutionary Purpose 2025 , is using her title as more than a crown and sash: it’s a calling. For Christina, pageantry is not only about beauty and grace, but about resilience, advocacy, and purpose. Her platform centers on honoring the memory of her late sister Jessica, who passed away from cystic fibrosis, and using that story to inspire others to rise through life’s hardships with strength and vision. “I want people to know tha

2025 has been an extraordinary year. We are continuing to navigate significant challenges. The US Government is about to enter the second week of a shutdown, our state revenue forecasts are showing a reduction of nearly $900,000,000, and we have a court battle being waged over the deployment of National Guardsmen by the President. For many people, this is a time of worry and uncertainty.   Here in Salem, we recently completed a "Special Session" of the Oregon Legislature and

Dear Friends and Neighbors, We are approaching the end of 2025, and preparations for the 2026 Legislative Session are underway. Oregon faces difficulties ahead, and one of the biggest challenges for every state right now is responding to President Trump’s budget bill, H.R. 1. The largest impacts stem from the cuts to Medicaid, which is known as the Oregon Health Plan in our state. This is the program that provides health care access for one in three Oregonians, including half

The Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Head Start program is expanding its services within West Salem.  This new location, residing at 1205 Wallace Road, will offer early learning services to a community where options have historically been limited. “We’re doubling our impact for children and families here,” said Eva Pignotti, Chief Program Officer of Early Learning & Child Care.  As new housing developments spring up in West Salem, deciding to expand was an easy choice f