Marijuana, Reefer Madness, Fake Experts and Politicians

Marijuana vs Jimson Weed: Will the real LOCOWEED please stand up?

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - I was introduced to marijuana in 1928 when I discovered that the Mexican kids in my hometown, Klamath Falls, Oregon, were smoking it, which I believed to be “locoweed”! I discovered later that the rolled cigarettes they were enjoying were not Jimson weed, most commonly called locoweed, but marijuana.

Jimson is not marijuana, but produces many similar effects. It has been used for asthma and as an analgesic, but unlike marijuana, it is a powerful hallucinogen and deliriant. Toxic to people and animals.

Funeral Service Tonight for Salem Teen Sean Kaleopa

Salem-News.com Video Tribute to Sean Kaleopa at the end of this story.

(SALEM, Ore. ) - The family of 14-year-old Sean Kaleopa of Salem, who died tragically while swimming at the three pools on the North Fork of the Santiam River say his funeral will be held on Tuesday in West Salem.

Family members tell Salem-News.com that everyone is welcome to attend the final services for Sean on Tuesday from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at West Salem Foursquare Church, located at 3094 Gehlar Rd NW.

Fans can expect to get the original Bob's Hamburgers with his famous secret sauce that made Bob Corey a Salem restaurant legend. Win gift certificates ONLY on Salem-News.com!

Oregon High School Track Coach Arrested on Sex Abuse Charges

Investigators are concerned there may possibly have been other victims.

(MADRAS, Ore. ) - The head track and field coach at Madras High School was arrested Monday by Oregon State Police related to an investigation into an alleged unlawful relationship with a 17-year-old male member of the high school track team.

Subsequent investigation, in cooperation with the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office, identified the juvenile male and developed evidence that led to her arrest related to alleged unlawful conduct since May 2014.

Oregon State Police is continuing the investigation and requesting contact from anyone with information or who may have been a victim related to this investigation.

SPECIAL SECTION Cannabis De-Classified

PTSD - Medical Marijuana Toxicology - Pharmacology

Suspects Sought After Police Chase in Rural Marion County

The last public information about the two suspects came when they were seen near the 17000 Block of Abiqua Road NE at around 10:00 p.m.

(SILVERTON, Ore. ) - A search is underway in rural Marion County Monday, after a man and woman fled following a pursuit outside of Silverton.

Marion County Sheriff's Office spokesman Sergeant Jeff Stutrud says deputies attempted to stop a vehicle on Evans Valley Road just after 5:00 p.m. Sunday.

New Humpty Dumpty Takes Shape After His Great Fall

Tofte says he hopes to get Humpty all put back together and have it back on the wall for all to see within the next month.

(TURNER, Ore. ) - All the Kings Horses and all the King's Men are not needed in putting Humpty Dumpty back together again at the Enchanted Forest in Turner, Ore. just east of Salem.

84-year-old Roger Tofte owner of the Enchanted Forest and the artist who created the Humpty Dumpty statue -- made of cement -- is currently putting him back together again.

UPDATE #2: Human Remains Found in NE Salem

Video by Salem-News.com's Jerry Freeman.

(SALEM, Ore. ) - As Salem-News.com was first to report, Salem police are investigating human remains found Sunday evening in the 200 block of Hawthorne Ave NE near Pipebend Place NE.

Police on scene told Salem-News.com that it appears the body had been there for sometime. It was found in heavy brush. Police would not say who found the body.

US and UN Seek Peace as Gaza Death Toll Hits 500

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Cairo to try to secure an end to hostilities, a day after he was caught by an open microphone saying sarcastically that the Israeli assault was "a hell of a pinpoint operation".

(JERUSALEM) - The United States, alarmed by escalating civilian bloodshed in an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, took a direct role in efforts to secure a ceasefire on Monday, as the Palestinian death toll jumped to more than 500.

Despite growing calls for a halt to two weeks of fighting, violence raged on. Israel pounded the coastal strip, killing 28 members of a family in one strike, 11 people in an attack on a high-rise building and four in the shelling of a hospital, medics said.

UPDATE #2: Woodburn Man Shot in the Back by Car Passenger

Video by Salem-News.com's Jerry Freeman

(WOODBURN, Ore. ) - As Salem-News.com was first to report, police in Woodburn, Oregon are investigating what appears to be an accidental shooting Sunday evening.

A Woodburn police spokesman tells Salem-News.com that a 24-year-old male was shot by a handgun in the back by a passenger in the back seat of a vehicle while they were parked at the Woodburn Safeway store.

OSU's Food Preservation and Safety Hotline Now Open

Master Food Preservers answered 2,262 calls during the 2013 summer season.

(CORVALLIS, Ore. ) - The Oregon State University Extension Service's food preservation and safety hotline will help Oregonians safely can and preserve their garden's abundance again this summer.

The hotline remains a useful resource for food safety information even in the Internet age, said Nellie Oehler, a faculty member with the OSU Extension Service's Family and Community Health program and Master Food Preserver coordinator in Lane County.

Historic Oregon Restaurant Destroyed by Fire

Mt. Angel Fire says the restaurant was a total loss, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Historic Oregon

(MT. ANGEL, Ore. ) - An early morning fire has destroyed a Willamette Valley landmark restaurant east of Mt. Angel.

Firefighters from Mt Angel, Silverton, Woodburn, Molalla, Monitor and Canby were called to a commercial structure fire at the Markum Inn off Highway 213 between Molalla and Silverton just after 4:30 a.m. Sunday.

Former Oregon Governor Vic Atiyeh Dead at 91

Atiyeh, was the first Arab-American governor in the country.

(PORTLAND, Ore. ) - Former Oregon Governor Victor G. "Vic" Atiyeh succumbed to renal failure at a Portland hospital his spokesman said.

Atiyeh, a Republican, was the state's 32nd Governor, and served two terms from 1979 to 1987.

President Signs Executive Order Banning LGBT Job Discrimination

This order affects 24,000 companies that employ about 28 million workers, or about one-fifth of the nation’s workforce.

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley, the lead Senate sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and the leading congressional advocate for an executive order to bar federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT Americans in the workplace, released the following statement on President Obama’s signing of an executive order that bans workplace discrimination against millions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees of federal contractors.

UPDATE: Albany Man Dead After Canoe Flips on North Santiam River

A woman who was also in the canoe when it turned over and got stuck in a log jam, was not injured.

(JEFFERSON, Ore. ) - Tragedy struck Saturday afternoon on the North Santiam River near Greens Bridge just south of Jefferson, Ore.

Jefferson, Albany, Linn, Benton, and Marion county rescue crews were called to the area where the river bends with the South Santiam River around 2:00 p.m. on the call of a missing person after a canoe flipped over.

Sergeant with Polk County Sheriff's Office Killed in Crash

Police are searching for the following vehicle: a white Dodge or Chevy 3/4 ton or 1 ton pick up truck, standard or possibly with an extended cab.

(SALEM, Ore. ) - A 15-year veteran of the Polk County Sheriff's Office has died following a car crash in West Salem.

Salem Police say 48-year old Randy W. Whittaker of Dallas was a Sergeant with the sheriff's office.

Portland Man Drowns on Sandy River Near Oregon State Park

Initial efforts to locate the missing swimmer were hampered by language barriers with the caller as they tried to narrow down where the swimmer had gone under the water.

(TROUTDALE, Ore. ) - Sunday afternoon, at approximately 2:30 p.m. MCSO River Patrol deputies along with other emergency responders from Troutdale Police Department, Corbett Fire Department and AMR responded to the report of a swimmer in distress in the Sandy River near Dabney State Park.

The deceased has been identified as 52-year-old Birtha B. Subba, of Portland.

RIP: Actor James Garner Dead at 86

There was no immediate word on the cause or circumstances of his death.

(LOS ANGELES) - Actor James Garner, best known for his prime-time television roles as the wisecracking frontier gambler on "“Maverick" and as an ex-con turned private eye on "“The Rockford Files," has died at age 86, the celebrity news website TMZ reported on Sunday.

Illegal Burn Pile Causes 4-Alarm Grass Fire

There were no injuries to firefighters or animals.

(TURNER, Ore. ) - On Friday, at 1:19 p.m. Turner Fire District was dispatched to a low risk grass fire at 12307 Summit Loop SE Turner, Oregon.

Upon arrival Incident Commander, Jon Remy saw that the fire was approximately six acres.

Body of Kyle Peterson, Missing Since February, Pulled from Sandy River

Salem-News.com will have more on this story when it becomes available.

(SANDY, Ore. ) - On Friday, at approximately 4:20 p.m. Multnomah County Sheriff's Office River Patrol deputies responded to the Sandy River after a day hiker reported seeing what he thought was a body floating in the river by a log near the mouth of the river.

The body was identified as 29-year-old Kyle Peterson of Gresham, who was reported missing after walking into a heavily wooded area on February 24, after a car accident in Troutdale.

Lebanon, Ore. Man Accused of Beating Friends Toddler

In addition to the broken collar bone, doctors said the child had over 30 bruises on his body.

(LEBANON, Ore. ) - A Lebanon, Oregon man has been arrested and charged with repeatedly beating a seventeen month old boy while staying at a friends home earlier this month.

Lebanon police say on July 14, they were contacted by Lebanon Community Hospital regarding a young male child who was brought to the hospital with multiple bruises on his body and a broken collar bone.

Several Marion County Roads to Get Slurry Seal Application

Streets will be CLOSED! to traffic several hours during the slurry application and curing process.

(SALEM, Ore. ) - The Marion County Public Works Department wants you to BE AWARE! of upcoming slurry seal work taking place throughout the county.

Marion County’s contractor, Blackline Inc., will slurry seal various Marion County roads beginning on Monday through July 24. The streets selected to receive slurry seal are located in or near Hubbard/Aurora, East Salem, Aumsville, and Chinook Estates.

Family of Six Escapes Two Fires Near Silverton

The family, which included 4 children of various ages are being helped with housing and other items by the Red Cross.

(SILVERTON, Ore. ) - A family of six is lucky to be alive Wednesday, after the motorhome they were living in caught fire, and spread quickly to a nearby home that their father was helping family members renovate.

Silverton firefighters were called to the two fires on Leikem Circle, just off Silverton Falls Highway east of the town of Silverton, at 3:37 p.m. Silverton Fire Chief Bill Miles tells Salem-News.com that the first crews on scene quickly called in a second alarm, which brought in extra crews and equipment from Mt. Angel and Drakes Crossing.

Portland Man Dead After Base Jumping Accident Near Silverton

When deputies arrived on the property southeast of Silverton, they found the man's body at the base of an approximately 1000 feet high tower.

(SILVERTON, Ore. ) - A 38-year-old man from Portland, Ore. is dead after a base jumping accident southeast of Silverton, Ore.

The Marion County Sheriff's office says friends of Zachary Sommer called authorities Thursday morning after they became worried when he had not contacted them after he called them to say he was going to perform a base jump.

Oregon, Western States Most at Risk for Large Earthquake

The eastern U.S. has the potential for larger and more damaging earthquakes than considered in previous maps and assessments.

(DENVER, Colo. .) - While all states have some potential for earthquakes, 42 of the 50 states have a reasonable chance of experiencing damaging ground shaking from an earthquake in 50 years.

The hazard is especially high along the west coast, and intermountain west.