Teen on school trip knew help would arrive late for stranger choking on food—her...
In a moment of emergency, anything we can do to help makes a massive difference. 16-year-old Violet Ammon is being hailed as a hero for stepping into action as soon as she noticed a woman choking, per KATU 2 ABC. The student of Silverton High School was on a field trip when she came across the situation and sprang...
The pavement beat: Improvement on Third
The pavement on Southeast Third Avenue between Main and Madison streets was one of the worst in that section of Albany, and the subject of occasional complaints. This week the Albany city street crew did something to help: The eastbound driving lane on the block got a two- or three-inch patch of smooth asphalt on...
Monmouth man pleads guilty except insanity for killing 2 with sword
A 55-year-old Monmouth man pleaded guilty except insanity July 30 to murdering two men in 2021 with a sword. William Gembala was arrested Feb. 16, 2021, after Monmouth Police were called to the 300 block of Warren Street South about 3:30 a.m. on reports of men yelling, police said. They found two men with critical...
Corvallis Police: Be on the lookout for a cougar, keep pets and kids indoors
CORVALLIS, Ore. (KATU) — Corvallis Police are warning residents about a cougar sighting on Thursday and urging residents to keep pets and children indoors. According to police, the cougar killed a small deer and buried it under a resident's porch in the area of NW Jon Place and NW Sunnyview Drive.
Oregon Parks to raise prices amid rising costs and record visitors
SALEM, Ore. -- The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) announced Friday it will no longer be waiving parking fees at an additional 21 day-use parks in the state, including three in Central Oregon, saying it is a "proactive effort to build a more resilient financial future." Starting Oct. 1,...
Benton County Health Department to host free overdose awareness events
The Benton County Health Department is organizing a series of free events designed to increase awareness and prevention of drug overdoses. The initiative comes ahead of International Overdose Awareness Day on Aug. 31. This year’s theme, “One big family, driven by hope,” emphasizes the collective strength communities...
Oregon Black history sites receive $200,000 in preservation grants
Two Oregon sites significant to Black history — the University of Oregon’s McKenzie Hall and the Letitia Carson Legacy Project at Oregon State University — received preservation grants from the national African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. McKenzie Hall, designed in 1968 by DeNorval Unthank Jr., will...
3-car crash into propane tank prompts 1-mile evacuation around Wilco in McMinnville
MCMINNVILLE, Ore. (KATU) — A three-vehicle crash on Highway 99W caused a fiery propane tank leak on Tuesday afternoon, prompting McMinnville Police to issue an evacuation order for people living within a mile of the collision site. Two of the drivers were taken to the hospital, and everyone involved...
Cherriots considers payroll tax on employers without asking voters
Cherriots is proposing to assess a .7% payroll tax on employers in Salem, Keizer and the rest of its taxing district in the Salem-Keizer urban growth boundary. If the seven-member board of the Salem Area Mass Transit District, which operates as Cherriots, votes to approve the tax, it will take effect on January 1,...
1 injured in 2-alarm house fire in West Salem
One person was injured in a West Salem house fire early in the morning on July 31, the Salem Fire Department said. The two-alarm fire, located at a home in the 1900 block of Margaret Street NW, was reported at 12:34 a.m. More than 15 units responded, according to PulsePoint. Firefighters arrived and found...
