Marion County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a single-vehicle rollover crash on Wheatland Road NorthSunday, June 28. A single-vehicle, rollover crash on Wheatland Road North resulted in the death of the driver and hospitalization of four passengers Sunday, June 27. Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to the scene about[Read More…]
Author: Eric A. Howald
Pulling on threads: Flags and the city
Understanding the legal reasons why the Keizer City Council is reluctant to hang a Pride Flag is such a point of contention is no easy chore, and complicated by the knowledge that there is a non-standard flag hanging from the poles outside the Keizer Civic Center. At its most fundamental,[Read More…]
Pride flag debate stirs more ire
Advocates calling for the city to display a LGBTQ+ Pride Flag continued their efforts at a Keizer City Council meeting Monday, June 21. Two weeks prior, Councilor Roland Herrera floated the idea of flying a Pride Flag alongside the existing ones outside the Keizer Civic Center. The discussion quickly devolved[Read More…]
KPD gets new role in SKPS safety team
School resource officers (SROs) may be a thing of the past, but the Keizer Police Department (KPD) will have a prominent role in the next iteration of school safety. The Keizer City Council granted approval for two contracts that will result in a KPD officer on an interdisciplinary team, dubbed[Read More…]
Council work group begins plotting path of DEI work
Despite some contentious moments, a group of three Keizer city councilors laid out a partial path forward as the city seeks to make progress on issues of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Councilors Roland Herrera, Elizabeth Smith and Laura Reid met for the first time as the Community Diversity Engagement[Read More…]
Tips for helping livestock as mercury rises
High heat can cause as much stress on livestock as it does humans. Animals at high risk of heat stress include young animals, dark colored animals and animals that have been sick or have a previous history of respiratory disease. There are ways to alleviate the strain. Here are some[Read More…]
Civic center will be cooling center Sunday, Keizer splash pad open afternoons
The Keizer Civic Center will serve as a cooling station Sunday, June 27, as projected temperatures are forecast to soar to 115 degrees. The cooling center will be equipped with water, charging stations and places to sit down. COVID-19 guidelines will be in place, masks required, social distancing and sanitizer[Read More…]
Pride, protest & lingering questions
1. Joys of Unburdening No one knew quite what to expect but Keizer’s first LGBTQ+ Pride Fair felt like the best party ever hosted in the city. It took place Saturday, June 12, at Chalmers Jones Park behind the Keizer Civic Center. Bubbles filled the air, Superman and Cinderella were[Read More…]
City manager candidate in hot seat
Wes Hare responds to questions from city councilors Monday, June 14. The primary candidate for the city’s interim city manager job had an informal interview for the job at a Keizer City Council work session Monday, June 14, but he almost didn’t show up. Wes Hare, the candidate, said he[Read More…]
23-year-old sentenced to 15 years in Keizer death
Dasio Armando Gonzalez One of two men charged with the 2020 death of a man found dead in a vehicle in Keizer Station was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Dasio Gonzalez, 23, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and robbery in the first degree in the death of 21-year-old Oscar Martinez[Read More…]