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Sheriff`s Web Site Now Offers Link to Cold Case Squad

HEAR THIS STORY AND MORE SALEM-AREA NEWS FROM SALEM-NEWS.COM'S KEVIN HAYS ON NEWSRADIO 1190 KEX

(SALEM) - Internet users can now review cold cases being investigated by the Marion County Sheriff`s Department cold case squad.

The Sheriff`s Web site includes a link to the Cold Case Homicide Squad.

The Cold Case Squad is staffed by four detectives selected by Sheriff Raul Ramirez to review and investigate unsolved Marion County homicides.

The four investigators bring a combined total of more than 120 years of law enforcement experience to the squad.

AAA Oregon Great Battery Roundup Now Underway

During the entire month of April, AAA Oregon/Idaho AAR facilities will accept, at no cost, used automotive or marine lead-acid batteries and send them to plants where they can be recycled into new batteries

(SALEM) - Earth Day, April 22nd, will get a boost again from AAA Oregon/Idaho, its battery service professionals, its Approved Auto Repair (AAR) partners and area motorists as they work together to rid the environment of used lead-acid batteries.

"Used vehicle batteries are potential fire and safety hazards because of their lead and sulfuric acid content. Some of these old batteries are illegally disposed of in dumpsters, or are simply placed in family garages, yards or storage sheds where they could leak and contaminate the soil and groundwater, explode and cause a fire...

BBQ Season Starts NOW

Salem barbecue professionals gear up for 2006 season

(KNOXVILLE, TN) - America`s top barbecue professionals, including Salem`s Mike and Katrina Adams of Adams Ribs Smokehouse, recently spent four days at the 2006 National Barbecue Association Conference and EXPO in Knoxville, Tenn., honing their skills for the barbecue season that is already upon us.

`Most people think begins on Memorial Day. But, what we learned is that over 89% of people barbecue year round,` said Katrina Adams.

2006 show attendees loaded buses for a tour which included two of the hottest barbecue restaurants in the Knoxville area; Buddy`s BBQ and Calhoun`s Tennessee Microbrewery. This gave plenty of time for attendees to visit with barbecue restaurant owners and caterers from all over America.

Governor Announces Healthy Kids Plan Public Meetings

HEAR THIS STORY AND MORE SALEM-AREA NEWS FROM SALEM-NEWS.COM`S KEVIN HAYS ON NEWSRADIO 1190 KEX

(SALEM) - Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski has announced that the Oregon Medicaid Advisory Committee will hold a series of public meetings to introduce and engage the public on an initial draft of the Governor`s Healthy Kids Plan, which will expand health care coverage to the 117,000 children in Oregon who currently do not have health insurance.

"My vision for Oregon is that all children have access to health care, including dental and mental health benefits, and that all working families have access to affordable health insurance for their kids," Governor Kulongoski said. "Insuring all children is a critical first step we can take to reduce the total number of uninsured Oregonians, and these forums are important to developing a Healthy Kids Plan that helps us make this vision a reality."

NAACP Will Fight for Former Salem Officer

A former Salem Police officer says he faced numerous types of racial harrassment by peers and superiors, now the NAACP will take on his case at state level.

(SALEM) - Executive members of the Salem/Keizer NAACP Branch traveled to Seattle, Washington April 1st to attend the NAACP State Conference 2006 Annual Spring Convention. The State Conference was attended by all NAACP Units within the Alaska, Oregon and Washington State Conference area.

Salem/Keizer President Ms. Sheryl Dash entreated the support of the State Conference on behalf of former Salem Police Officer Sterling Alexander who had filed a complaint with the Salem/Keizer Branch in 2004.

Mr. Alexander`s complaint cited an incident of racial slurs from another city employee, racial discriminatory and disparate treatment by the Salem Police Department and DPSST, the police academy in nearby Monmouth.

PGE Stock Distribution Reconsideration Request Denied

(SALEM) - Wednesday the Oregon Public Utility Commission denied a request by the Utility Reform Project (URP) and the city of Portland to reconsider their previous decision to restore Portland General Electric (PGE) to its previous status as an independent, stand-alone Oregon based utility.

The Commission dismissed the requests as untimely and indicated many of the additional issues raised by the applicants can be addressed in other dockets before the Commission.

The Commission found that neither URP nor the city of Portland had met the legal standard for reconsideration. The Commission may grant an application for reconsideration under the following circumstances...

EEOC Settles Lawsuit on Behalf of Hispanic Employees Allegedly Denied Promotions to Management

(SEATTLE) - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has
settled its national origin discrimination lawsuit against the successor of U S WEST Communications, Qwest Communications International Inc., for $400,000.

The EEOC achieved the settlement on behalf of a group of
Hispanic employees who the EEOC alleged were denied promotions to management jobs at company's Portland, Oregon facilities from 1998 through 2001. The company has denied these allegations.

Friends of the Library Launch New Spring Book Sale

(SALEM) - The Friends of the Salem Public Library are offering even more of a good thing in 2006.

A major sale of used books, formerly an annual event sponsored by the group, will be offered in the spring and fall in 2006. The Spring Book Sale is coming up on May 5th-7th in Anderson Rooms A&B on the lower level of Salem Public Library, 585 Liberty St. SE.

Mannix Blasts Kulongoski`s Proposed Sales Tax

(TIGARD) - Kevin Mannix blasted Ted Kulongoski in a speech Tuesday before the King City Republican Women over Kulongoski`s latest plan for raising taxes in Oregon.

During a televised debate Monday night, Kulongoski said he would support a new sales tax.

The Oregonian called it "the most definitive call for a sales tax the governor has made since he took office in 2003."

"Nine times the voters of this state have said no to a sales tax," said Mannix...

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Salem-Keizer School Board Approves 2006-07 School Year Calendar

(SALEM) - The first day of school in 2006-07 will be one day later for most Salem-Keizer students.

The district calendar for next school year was approved Tuesday night by the School Board.

Elementary students start school on Wednesday, September 6th – one day later than last year. Sixth and ninth graders will still start on Tuesday, September 5th...