Hospital merger approved, data center blocked, schools closing

Weather

Today in Salem: overcast. (H 76°F / L 54°F)

Local Headlines

Salem Health Gets Green Light to Take Over Santiam Hospital

State health leaders granted emergency approval for Salem Health to acquire struggling Santiam Hospital in Stayton. The merger, deemed 'urgently needed,' aims to keep healthcare accessible in the eastern Willamette Valley as Santiam faces financial challenges.

Local Headlines

Governor Pulls Plug on Controversial Salem Data Center Land Deal

Gov. Tina Kotek ordered the state to withdraw from selling 32 acres at Mill Creek Corporate Center to data company Verrus, blocking plans that had advanced despite a moratorium. The developer expressed surprise and disappointment at the sudden reversal.

Local Headlines

Salem-Keizer Schools to Close Up to 8 Elementary Buildings

Facing declining enrollment, Salem-Keizer will shutter up to eight elementary schools in the 2027-2028 school year. District officials cite demographic shifts that are leaving classrooms emptier across the area.

Local Headlines

Salem Adds Jobs Even as Oregon Unemployment Climbs to 5.2%

While Oregon's jobless rate ticked up, Salem bucked the trend by adding positions. The local employment picture remains brighter than the statewide numbers suggest.

Local Headlines

Salem Housing Authority Breaks Ground on Apartments with On-Site Support

A first-of-its-kind building will offer Salem residents not just affordable housing but integrated support services under one roof, marking a new approach to addressing homelessness and housing insecurity in our community.

Around Town

What's Happening Around Salem

It's been quite a week for big decisions around town. While Salem Health expands its reach eastward to Stayton and our schools brace for tough closures ahead, the governor just threw cold water on that data center everyone's been debating. On a brighter note, jobs are still flowing into Salem even as the state struggles, and the Housing Authority is pioneering a new way to help neighbors get back on their feet. Sometimes progress means growing, sometimes it means saying no, and sometimes it just means showing up for each other.