The Keizer Fire District will have an open seat on the board of directors for the May 18 Special District Election — Ron Christopher will not seek re-election. To file for the placement on the May 18, 2021 ballot candidates need to complete the SEL 190 form and pay a[Read More…]
NEWS
Governor sets May 1 as open vaccination target
In a press briefing with the Oregon Health Authority, Governor Kate Brown today announced Oregon’s accelerated vaccination prioritization timelines. The Governor was joined by Patrick Allen, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Director; Dr. Dean Sidelinger, State Epidemiologist; and Holden Leung, Chief Executive Officer of the Asian Health & Service Center. “As[Read More…]
Perry review sparks heated conversation
Christy Perry The Salem-Keizer school board meeting got heated Monday, March 15 while discussing the annual evaluation of Salem-Keizer Public Schools Superintendent Christy Perry. The school board has a contractual obligation to evaluate Perry’s performance on an annual basis no later than March 15 — Perry is the lone employee[Read More…]
EXCLUSIVE: Read the city manager’s description of the shot fired at city hall
City Manager Chris Eppley Keizer City Manager Chris Eppley said he was “preoccupied” when he brought a loaded firearm into the Keizer Civic Center negligently discharged it while disassembling it for repairs. Keizertimes obtained a portion of Eppley’s incident report regarding the situation and verified its authenticity. The part of[Read More…]
Student mental health struggles skyrocketing
One of the main concerns of Salem-Keizer Public Schools (SKPS) since the COVID-19 pandemic hit has been the mental health and well-being of their students. Working alongside Paraorama Education — an east coast organization that focuses on improving student outcomes by helping schools and districts act on data -—- the[Read More…]
Elementary superintendent on first weeks of student returns
Clear Lake Elementary School kindergartener Brooklyn says goodbye to her mom on Tuesday, March 2, the first day of in-person learning in nearly a year (File). As of Wednesday, March 17, all K-5 students in Salem-Keizer Public Schools (SKPS) have made a return to in-person learning. Even though students[Read More…]
Tax day extended to May 17
The Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service announced today that the federal income tax filing due date for individuals for the 2020 tax year will be automatically extended from April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021. The IRS will be providing formal guidance in the coming days. Individual taxpayers do[Read More…]
School counselors talk year in isolation
It has now been over a year since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down Salem-Keizer Public Schools. Elementary students began in-person hybrid learning earlier this month, while middle and high school students are set to begin next month — OSAA athletics also returned earlier this month. But even though a return[Read More…]
Former Silverton PD officer found guilty in domestic violence incident
Rene Bravo A former Silverton Police Department sergeant was convicted on all charges relating to a Keizer domestic violence incident in March 2020. A 12-person jury unanimously convicted Rene Bravo, 61, of Albany, of two counts of assault in the second degree, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon,[Read More…]
Former WPD chief investigating Keizer city manager
A former Woodburn Police Department police chief has been hired to investigate an accidental discharge of a firearm by Keizer City Manager Chris Eppley. Kathy Peck, the city’s legal counsel in human resource matters, said she expects the investigation to be complete by the end of March. Eppley discharged a[Read More…]