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Lebanon Man Dies in Motorcycle Crash

(LEBANON) - A Lebanon man was killed when his motorcycle impacted a concrete bridge abutment near the Santiam River Saturday afternoon between Lebanon and Sweet Home.

Linn County Sheriff Tim Mueller says deputies were dispatched to a motor vehicle crash involving a motorcycle at 7:24 PM Saturday on Pleasant Valley Road and McDowell Creek Road.

While en-route to the crash they were informed by Lebanon Fire Medics that the only person involved in this crash was deceased.

Salem Ex-Marine May be World`s Toughest Kickboxer (VIDEO)

Black belt John Olivera of Steele's Karate in Salem trains kickboxers by serving as their human punching bag.

(SALEM) - Oregon`s capitol city is home to one of the most radical, inspirational and durable Kickboxing instructor/champions in the nation. In fact, there may not be a tougher martial arts instructor alive.

A former U.S. Marine, he is still one of the few and the proud, from his mannerisms to the logo he created for his fight team shirts. John Olivera is the Sensei at Steele`s Karate in Salem and he shares his lifetime of experience with those who take an interest. What John has done in his lifetime is become one of the most accomplished martial artists and not just in one style of martial arts either.

I knew John in the earliest days. We were both Marine Corps recruits in Platoon 1044, 1st Battalion `C` Company at M.C.R.D. San Diego. That is the long way of saying that we went through Marine Corps boot camp together.

Travelers Will See Plenty of Orange This Summer on Oregon Highways and Byways (AUDIO)

(SALEM) - Summer vacation time is here once again, and for many Oregonians that means packing up the family and hitting Oregon roadways to get to their vacation destination.

Along with Oregon`s breathtaking scenery, travelers will see more construction projects this year than ever before.

For the next several years, ODOT will be replacing bridges, paving and widening roadways throughout the state.

ODOT Director Matt Garrett says Oregonians and tourists alike may feel like their in a sea of orange, but all of the work is a major investment in the state`s economy.

Federal Officials to Investigate Oregon`s State Mental Hospital

(PORTLAND) - The U.S. Justice Department says it will investigate whether Oregon is violating the constitutional rights of patients at the state mental hospital in Salem, a probe Gov. Ted Kulongoski said he welcomes.

The state was notified last week that the investigation had been launched into an institution that gained attention 30 years ago when Jack Nicholson was filmed there portraying a rebellious patient in "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest" and has become a sore on the state's conscience.

Editorial writers at The Orgonian newspaper, which reported the investigation Saturday, won a Pulitzer Prize this year for a 15-part series about conditions at the institution, often described as crumbling or shameful.

The hospital is 122 years old. An architectural firm said one building, which houses about 100 patients, is at risk of collapsing during an earthquake.

Driver in Keizer Police Hit and Run Arrested

(SALEM) - Keizer Police have arrested a Salem man accused of ramming a Keizer Police Sergeant`s cruiser head on with his vehicle early Saturday morning while he was being stopped for suspicion of drunk driving.

That incident left police searching for an unidentified driver, a male in his late teens to early 20`s.

About an hour and a half after the SUV was used to ram the police vehicle, the owner called in to report that the 1985 SUV was stolen.

After an ongoing investigation involving Keizer Police Detectives and Salem Police it was determined that the vehicle involved in the incident was in fact, `Not stolen` as was previously reported.

Witness: U.S. Troops in Iraq Taken Captive

(BAGHDAD, Iraq) - A farmer claiming to have witnessed an attack on a U.S. military checkpoint said Sunday that insurgents swarmed the scene, killing the driver of a Humvee before taking two of his comrades captive.

U.S. troops, backed by helicopters and warplanes, fanned out across the "Triangle of Death" south of Baghdad searching for the missing servicemen. At least four raids had been carried out, but the captives were not found, the military said.

A U.S. military spokesman, Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, said Saturday a dive team also was searching for the men, whose checkpoint was near a Euphrates River canal not far from Youssifiyah, 12 miles south of Baghdad. The Sunni region is the site of frequent ambushes of U.S. soldiers and Iraqi troops.

Multi-Agency Sweep Cleans Salem Neighborhoods of Crime and Drugs

(SALEM) - Several local agencies conducted a sweep operation Saturday that included the investigation of drug activity complaints, attempts to locate fugitives in the area, increased traffic enforcement, and graffiti abatement and area clean-up projects by inmate work crews from the Marion County Work Release Center.

Marion County Sheriff`s spokesman Kevin Rau says the sweeping community effort was conducted by the Marion County Sheriff`s Office, Corrections and Parole and Probation Divisions, the Salem and Keizer Police Departments, Marion County Code Enforcement, Salem Public Works, the Oregon Department of Human Services – Child Welfare, the U.S. Marshal`s Office and the community action organization No Meth Not In My Neighborhood Friday in southeast Salem, and Keizer.

Weekend News Report With Tim King (AUDIO)

(SALEM) - Here is the latest news from Salem-News.com`s Tim King...

Keizer Police sergeant David LeDay was fortunate Saturday, escaping serious injuries when a driver who police believed may be intoxicated, gave chase, then smashed his SUV into LeDay`s police cruiser.

Several climbers involved in a severe fall on Mount Hood were recovered by an Oregon National Guard helicopter crew Saturday from Salem`s 1042nd Medical Company. The climbing accident happened on the top of Crater Rock.

Oregon`s capitol city is home to one of the most radical, inspirational and durable Kickboxing instructor/champions in the nation. In fact, there may not be a tougher martial arts instructor alive.

Newly filed campaign finance reports suggest that Oregon's 2006 governor's race could be the most expensive competition for the state's top job in Oregon history. The candidates raised and spent more than $6 million in the primary.

Keizer Prepares for 2006 International Fire Fighters Safety Stand Down

(KEIZER) - The Keizer Fire District and International Association of Fire Fighters Local 3881 are joining thousands of fire agencies across the United States and Canada for the 2006 International Fire Fighters Safety Stand Down.

Starting June 21st, and continuing until all members of the District have participated, firefighters will suspend all non-emergency activity to focus on fire fighter safety.

The District will respond to all emergency calls as normal, but between calls, fire fighters will take time to conduct safety training and drills; review safety-related standard operating procedures; discuss accident reports and have an open conversation about fire fighter safety.

String of Blasts Kills at Least 27 in Iraq, U.S. Soldiers Go Missing

(BAGHDAD, Iraq) - Insurgents foiled heightened security in Baghdad and killed more than two dozen people Saturday after an al-Qaida threat to avenge the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, dealing a blow to the Iraqi government's pledge to bring peace to the capital.

Eleven more Iraqis, including four in Baghdad, died in shooting attacks across Iraq.

U.S. troops, meanwhile, combed through the "Triangle of Death," a predominantly Sunni Arab region south of the capital looking for two soldiers missing since an attack Friday on a traffic checkpoint that also killed one of their comrades.

The spree of bombings and mortar attacks in Baghdad was an embarrassment for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who ordered more police and army checkpoints for the city last week to restore security for its 5 million residents.

His Sunni Arab deputy prime minister, Salam Zikam Ali al-Zubaie, charged that the plan was not properly thought out and needed more work.