Latest reporting from the Local Government desk.
Latest reporting from the Local Government desk.
Latest reporting from the Local Government desk.
Local Government
Gov. Tina Kotek proclaimed Friday, Sept. 25, as Dolly Parton Day in Oregon during a Salem ceremony attended by 672 people, honoring the late singer's legacy and the Imagination Library's milestone of more than 4 million books distributed to children across all 36 Oregon counties.
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Gov. Tina Kotek proclaimed Friday, Sept. 25, as Dolly Parton Day in Oregon during a Salem ceremony attended by 672 people, honoring the late singer's legacy and the Imagination Library's milestone of more than 4 million books distributed to children across all 36 Oregon counties.
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Gov. Tina Kotek proclaimed Friday, Sept. 25, as Dolly Parton Day in Oregon during a Salem ceremony attended by 672 people, honoring the late singer's legacy and the Imagination Library's milestone of more than 4 million books distributed to children across all 36 Oregon counties.
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Local Government
Providence Health Plan will end all Medicare Advantage coverage for roughly 55,000 Oregon members by Dec. 31, 2026, after a proposed sale to a national insurer fell through, forcing Salem-area seniors to find new plans by Jan. 1, 2027.
Local Government
Oregon Senate Democrats outlined healthcare priorities for the 2027 session as more than 200,000 Oregonians face losing coverage under federal Medicaid cuts, with committee meetings set for September and December at the Salem Capitol.
Local Government
Gov. Tina Kotek met with six families who lost SNAP benefits at a Sunday roundtable, as Oregon's enrollment dropped from 757,000 to 646,000 and Salem-area food banks strain to fill the gap.
Local Government
Oregon housing starts rose 11.3% in the first half of 2026 while national production fell, and a relaunched state lending program for affordable rental housing gives Salem-area developers a new below-market financing option as the metro faces a 10,400-unit shortfall.
Local Government
Marion County is in line for roughly $289,000 from a $1.15 million federal geothermal lease sale covering more than 9,500 acres in the Mount Hood National Forest, with additional revenue possible if energy production eventually begins.
Local Government
A statewide arts coalition that includes Salem's Willamette University is urging Oregon legislators to approve $10 million in Cultural Resources Economic Fund grants for 11 construction projects when the 2027 session opens in January; Salem residents can contact their legislators now to weigh in.
Local Government
A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from enforcing anti-DEI and anti-immigrant conditions on more than $1 million in FEMA disaster relief grants Salem needs to repair flood-damaged wastewater infrastructure.
Local Government
Four Salem City Council members say they support ending camping at Wallace Marine Park but warn the city shouldn't enforce a hard deadline without enough shelter beds for the roughly 100 people living there.
Local Government
A peer-reviewed study finds Oregon's Measure 114 triggered a 157% surge in background checks after voters passed it in 2022, adding roughly 63,000 purchases that wouldn't have otherwise occurred. The law has never taken effect, and its fate now rests with the Oregon Supreme Court and a 2028 implementation deadline set by Salem lawmakers.
Local Government
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield filed a federal lawsuit Aug. 11 to block Trump administration rules that would let national banks keep escrow interest Oregon law requires them to pay homeowners, co-leading a 10-state coalition in U.S. District Court in Portland.
Local Government
Oregon's top legislative leaders from both parties condemned the physical confrontation of Sen. Janeen Sollman at a Forest Grove forum, issuing bipartisan calls for civility as Salem's own public meetings over data centers have drawn hundreds of passionate residents.
Local Government
Oregon's Universal Health Plan Governance Board voted unanimously Aug. 6 to delay its single-payer health care report from September to December, citing an unresolved $30–$35.5 billion funding gap, with Salem Sen. Deb Patterson saying lawmakers need a financial framework before advancing legislation.
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©2026 Cherry City Chronicle
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