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Op-Ed: Tell Salem What You Think About Red Light Photo Cams

A private company is on the verge of installing cameras in Salem that will photograph red light violations and ultimately, lead to a ticket in your mailbox. The city says they want your input.

(SALEM) - Salem is close to making a final decision on whether to implement remote traffic cameras that record a driver’s license plate, and result in a traffic citation. They say the decision has not been made, but the council has decided which private firm gets the job. Now the city council wants input from the public.

Is that out of order? If the opinion of Salem residents is truly sought, then selecting the company before the idea makes little sense, and it more than borders on insult.

Oregon Coast Aquarium Set to Open Western Snowy Plover Exhibit

The exhibit includes four chicks recently hatched at the Aquarium.

(NEWPORT) - A celebration will commemorate the opening of the Oregon Coast Aquarium’s new permanent Western Snowy Plover Exhibit Tuesday at 12:30 PM.

The exhibit includes four plover chicks that were recently incubated and hatched at the Aquarium, which has been successful in past rehabilitation and release of western snowy plovers.

In addition, two more rescued chicks have been brought in this week, and will be introduced into the exhibit when they are acclimated to the new environment. The exhibit is fully functioning as it was intended; to rehabilitate rescued plovers with the goal to release them back into their natural habitat.

Be Aware! Lockhaven Drive Closures Take Place Beginning Sunday Night

Be prepared for your Salem-area commute with our daily, and weekend Salem-area road construction reports, heard exclusively on Salem-News.com.

(KEIZER) - The Keizer Public Works Department wants you to Be Aware! that Lockhaven Drive will have lane closures as crews pave the street near Keizer Station.

Fire Causes $80k in Damage to Salem Home

Firefighters say nobody was injured in the blaze that took crews more than twenty minutes to extinguish.

(SALEM) - Salem Fire Investigators spent most of the early morning trying to determine what caused a Friday night house fire that caused over $80,000 in damage. Fire Investigators eventually determined that the fire was accidential, but say they are still trying to determine an exact cause.

Salem Fire Spokesman Bill Holmstrom says Diane Wilson came home to discover an orange glow coming from her front window, "Shortly after, a window broke out and fire came shooting out of it. She ran to her neighbor's house and called 9-1-1. Mrs. Wilson's husband and two sons were out of town at the time of the fire."

Be Aware! Weekend Salem Area Road Construction Report (AUDIO)

Be prepared for your Salem-area commute with our daily, and weekend Salem-area road construction reports, heard exclusively on Salem-News.com.

(SALEM) - Beginning Sunday night. Drivers need to watch for lane closures on Lockhaven Drive as crews pave the street near Keizer Station.

Smith Proposes Southern Oregon Grazing Buyout (AUDIO)

The proclamation of the Monument in 2000 by President Clinton made the future of grazing uncertain within the Monument’s boundaries.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Oregon Senator Gordon H. Smith has released a draft proposal regarding grazing in the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in southern Oregon. The proposal, which Smith will introduce as legislation in the coming weeks, is the result of lengthy discussions between Senator Smith, cattle ranchers and environmentalists.

“I think buyouts should be rare,” Smith said. “But these circumstances are unique and are putting the squeeze on our ranchers. This legislation is needed to keep them in business and in the saddle. Instead of turning to the courts, two interested parties found common ground to solve this problem. That’s the Oregon way and a great basis for legislation.”

Fraud Revealed in DMV Privatization of Driver Testing Pilot Program

The DMV is asking 11,000 customers to verify their addresses after an investigation found that some customers were giving false Oregon addresses. Oregon law does not require proof of citizenship or legal immigration status to obtain a driver license.

(SALEM) - An investigation by federal and state law enforcement, at the request of the Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division, revealed fraud in a privatization of drive-testing pilot program, forcing DMV to require verification of residence by 11,000 customers who took drive tests from two companies during 2003.

The investigation determined that some customers of two private companies, Catt’s Testing and DME, provided false Oregon addresses in order to obtain driver licenses.

DMV will send letters to affected customers, asking them to provide proof that they are residents of Oregon.

“We need to determine which of these 11,000 people are legal Oregon residents,” said DMV Administrator Lorna Youngs. “We apologize for the inconvenience to people who are lawful Oregon residents, but we have determined that this is the most reliable way to verify eligibility.”

Nine Arrested in Early Morning Drug Raid in Northeast Salem

Detectives estimate the street value of the drugs seized at about $1,100.

(SALEM) - Marion County Street Crimes Detectives assisted by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, served a search warrant at 5:00 AM Friday at 4535 State St in northeast Salem.

Sheriff’s spokesman Kevin Rau says investigators seized 5 grams of heroin, 9 grams of meth and 2 grams of dried marijuana from inside the home and from a car belonging to one of those arrested.

Deputies on the scene say they also seized were two firearms, and about $400 in cash.

Man Injured by Illegal Fireworks Speaks Out

The man says he never made the connection that buying illegal fireworks really means they're illegal.

(FLORENCE) - A Florence man recovering from a painful epiphany wants others to learn from his near death experience with illegal fireworks on the fourth of July.

While family and friends watched, a burning mortar hit him then bounced into nearly 400 rounds of fireworks igniting them all.

"I thought I was going to die in the fire," confesses James Motts, a single father.

Motts has been driving to Washington to purchase fireworks from the Chehalis tribes since 1991.

City And Corvallis Regional Communications Center Agree on New Three Year Contract

(CORVALLIS) - The Corvallis City Council has approved a new three year labor agreement between the city and the Corvallis Regional Communications Center Association.

CRCCA members had previously ratified the agreement on June 8, 2006. The new contract covers the period from July 2006 thorough June 2009.

Mayor Helen Berg said, " this contract has many positive aspects which will benefit both the employee and the city for many years to come."

The Association elected to change unit representation, they previously had been represented by AFSCME., therefore the positions represented by the Association have not had a wage adjustment since June 2004 and had fallen significantly behind comparator Oregon communities in total compensation (wages, leaves, and benefits). At the same time, the positions are funded though user charges to other agencies using City provided 9-1-1 services.