Category Archives: Uncategorized

If re-elected, Oregon’s Democratic Gov. Kate Brown wants to increase educational opportunities, protect health care coverage and advocate for environmental conservation, among other things. But that may not happen if she doesn’t swing enough moderate Republican votes away from her opponent, Rep. Knute Buehler, R-Bend, while hanging onto the moderate voters in her own party. Read the full analysis here.

In June 2018, the Salem-Keizer School Board adopted a $1.1 billion budget for the 2018-19 school year. Outlined in the budget was an increase of $2 million for 75 full-time equivalent adult assistant positions. But those positions don’t fully cover the more than 250 people who had temporary single-year assisting positions this year. This change ultimately affected hundreds ofContinueContinue reading “Salem-area parents, educators outraged over fewer adult assistants next year”

On average, students were restrained or secluded 10 times a day in the Salem-Keizer Public Schools during the 2015-16 school year. These incidents primarily affect elementary students and students with disabilities. In the same year, 149 students were physical restrained and 145 were placed in seclusion while attending school in Salem-Keizer; 176 incidents resulted in reported injuriesContinueContinue reading “Salem-Keizer schools use restraint, seclusion emergency techniques 10 times a day”

Joseph Shewey was born with a form of cerebral palsy. The nonverbal 4-year-old used to cling to a walker just to stand. But after meeting Hilary Morris, a mental health counselor who was in physical therapy after a horrific car crash, Joey was able to participate in the Awesome 3000 fun run. The fun run is anContinueContinue reading “Preschooler with disabilities walks in race with peers thanks to unlikely friendship”

After nearly a year of debate on the local and state level, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum issued a formal opinion in Sept., 2018, declaring the state does not require mandatory reporters to report when teens are engaging in sexual activity, as long as the individuals involved are within three years of age and there isContinueContinue reading “Attorney general: Mandatory reporters don’t need to report consensual teen sex”

Salem-Keizer Public Schools Superintendent Christy Perry has withdrawn a resolution that would have designated the district’s security department as a law enforcement agency. The resolution was withdrawn six days after the Statesman Journal published a story about the proposal that was first presented at a July 24 school board meeting. Read the full story, as well asContinueContinue reading “Salem-Keizer school officials withdraw resolution to make department a law enforcement agency”

Individuals who are homeless, have chronic health conditions. substance use and mental illness are most likely to die in their 50s. More than 500 people experiencing homelessness in the Salem-Keizer area have been identified in this “tri-morbid” group in the past year, up from an estimated 200 in 2014. Studies show many won’t get help in time. ReadContinueContinue reading “Salem homeless face early death, data show”

Five judgments against the Dallas School District in the last two years cite multiple ways school officials failed to comply with state and federal requirements for educating students with special needs. Complaints range from children’s school days being shortened to parents being excluded from meetings to staff’s failure to identify a student’s disabilities. Read the full story and how Natalie did reported it here.

Few people have access to the immigrant children detained at the southern U.S. border. Wendi Warren Binford, a Willamette University law professor from Salem, is one of them — part of a team of advocates allowed into the detention centers under the Flores Settlement, which was adopted by the federal government in the late 1990s. They’re the only ones currently allowedContinueContinue reading “Willamette law professor one of few to interview detained children at U.S. border”

Christa Rohrbach was disappointed when told she was losing her job as a one-on-one adult assistant to elementary students with special needs. But when she was told no one would be filling the position next year, she was livid. “This decision is a completely embarrassing and disgraceful action,” Rohrbach told the Salem-Keizer School Board Tuesday night. “It is appalling, deplorable and downright lazyContinueContinue reading “Salem-area parents, educators outraged over fewer adult assistants next year”