City Continues Management Plan As Invasive Beetle Is Detected In Salem - 08/06/26

SALEM, Ore. — A known invasive insect species has been identified for the first time in Salem following earlier detections in Marion County and other parts of Oregon. We have been anticipating this detection and planning for the arrival of the insect for several years.

Today, the Oregon Department of Forestry announced the first detection of the emerald ash borer, or EAB, in Salem, as well as Beaverton and Rockcreek. EAB is a harmful beetle that attacks and kills ash trees. It has spread across North America since it was first found in Michigan in 2002, destroying hundreds of millions of ash trees.

The first sightings of this beetle in Oregon occurred in 2022 near Forest Grove. Since then, surveys have found EAB in Woodburn and other parts of Marion County, and Marion County has been one of several counties under a permanent quarantine since 2024.

City staff discovered a suspected EAB in a trap in south Salem near West Fork Pringle Creek in July. The identification was confirmed by staff from ODF and the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

We have been preparing for the arrival of EAB in the city for several years. An important first step was conducting an inventory of street, park and natural area ash trees. We identified nearly 4,000 ash trees along streets, in parks and in more than 400 acres of natural areas with a high density of ash.

We have also:

• Created and published an Emerald Ash Borer Readiness and Response Plan  
• Halted the planting of new ash trees
• Begun preemptive removal of ash trees in poor health
• Begun creating management plans for identified ash trees on City-owned property
• Begun injecting high-value ash trees to protect them from EAB

So far, City experts have injected insecticide into about 600 ash trees identified to be in good health to protect them from EAB. These injections began in Summer 2025 in the northern part of the city. Another 600 trees will be injected in Spring 2026. This process is highly effective at killing EAB and keeping trees alive through their natural lifespan if treatment is continued every 2-3 years.

The City of Salem will continue to carry out other work to mitigate and contain EAB, including:

• Underplanting in natural areas around ash trees
• Replacing removed ash trees along streets and parks with a wide variety of other species to add resilience and diversity to the urban canopy
• Providing education and outreach about EAB through social and print media and at community events

Learn more about Salem’s response plans

Once EAB is in a new area, it cannot be eradicated. The best we are able to do is to slow the spread of the insect, which can best be done by not moving firewood or other ash materials more than 10 miles from where it has been found and not moving ash outside of the quarantine zone. This currently includes the Marion County portion of Salem.

Salem’s EAB page provides a guide on how to identify ash trees. Residents can protect their trees by paying a certified pest applicator to inject it with insecticide. Other options include

• Removing the ash tree
• Replanting a different tree
• Underplanting the ash tree to ensure other native or appropriate landscape species will take its place.

For more information on management options, visit www.OregonEAB.com.

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Exciting Improvements And Thrilling Additions Coming To Riverfront Park When Playground Reopens This September (Photo) - 08/05/26

Salem, Ore. — This fall, Riverfront Park welcomes area children to the City of Salem's first intentionally designed inclusive play space, where children of all abilities can swing, slide, scramble and socialize together. During construction, Salem’s Riverfront Carousel, the splash pad and the Rotary Pavilion remain open to the public, and public restrooms are available in Riverfront Park.

New playground equipment will be ready for kids by the end of September. From a new park path around the play space, families can watch progress on this new, inclusive playground with several features designed following conversations with Salem families. Installation is underway to include artificial turf that is easier on wheelchair users and reduces static electricity, which helps prevent interference with devices like cochlear implants. The playground will also feature the first “rock scramble” in a Salem park with real rocks.

While we make the playground improvements, we are also making electrical improvements throughout the park to better support large events at Riverfront Park and the annual holiday light display.

Community Input Helped Shape Design

City staff reached out to families who need inclusive options and based design decisions on their feedback. Special features include:

• A quieter, low-sensory zone called the Eagle’s Nest
• An all-inclusive accessible spinner
• A music station
• Fencing around the entire playground for families that need fully enclosed play space
• Rolling bars on one of the slides and specialized synthetic grass that safely reduces static electricity, helping prevent interference with devices like cochlear implants

The design also prioritizes accessibility and comfort for families and caregivers. Smooth paved pathways — including an extra-wide bridge — allow everyone to reach the second level of the main play structure. Multiple seating options are provided throughout the playground for caregivers, along with attractive landscaping and additional shade trees planted around the play area to create a welcoming and comfortable environment.

The playground’s theme centers on wildlife and nature. For example, a climbing structure made of logs will be called the Beaver Dam. Consistent with the future play elements envisioned in the park’s 2019 improvement plan, the playground also incorporates a rock scramble using natural boulders. The synthetic turf features color variations to evoke a watershed.

The playground’s entryway will feature circles on the pavement that are riddles. They feature animal motifs and can show visitors where in the playground they can find the image again.

The new playground will be bigger and separated from park paths, helping to minimize user conflicts. Instead, a new 12-foot-wide path now arcs around the playground through the south part of the South Meadow and is open for public use. This also encompasses a tree-filled area that will provide shade for informal picnics and opportunities to enjoy the park’s natural setting.

We are taking care to protect and preserve the park’s existing trees. The project was designed to minimize impacts, with only one tree initially planned for removal. After construction began and in consultation with City Urban Forestry staff, a second tree was determined necessary for removal. These removals were carefully considered and will be mitigated over time through the many new trees planted as part of the project.

Precautionary Boil Water Advisory Issued For 26 Homes In South Salem (Photo) - 07/29/26

All Other City of Salem Water Customers Do Not Need to Boil Water

SALEM, Ore. — A limited-area notice for residents to boil water before drinking it was issued to 26 homes in south Salem on Lansford Drive SE and 10^th Court SE July 29. The water in all other areas of the City of Salem is safe to drink and use.

Shortly after 8 a.m. July 29, the affected 26 homes experienced a brief interruption of water pressure during a routine water main construction project at the corner of Commercial Street SE and Langford Drive SE. Residents of those homes have or will receive information at their door on the nature of the event and guidance on how to proceed safely.

Those affected have been directed to bring water to a rolling boil for one full minute, allow the water to cool before using and store the cooled water in a clean container with a cover. Affected residents should use boiled water that has cooled or bottled water for:

• Drinking
• Brushing teeth
• Washing fruits and vegetables
• Preparing food and baby formula
• Making ice
• Cleaning food contact surfaces

City Water Distribution staff will be flushing water mains in the affected area and collecting bacteriological samples. Sample results are expected by the evening of July 30. Residents will receive information regarding test results and the end of the boil order by a door hanger delivered by City of Salem staff.

No other areas of the Salem water system were affected by the pressure interruption.

Oregon Health Authority rules require a Boil Water Notice be issued as a precautionary measure if system pressure is lost. This notice will be in effect until water within the affected area is verified safe by bacteriological testing.

For more information on the City’s drinking water, see our Drinking Water page, https://www.cityofsalem.net/community/household/water-utilities/salem-s-drinking-water. If you are ever unsure about your water, call Public Works Dispatch at any time at 503-588-6311.

Traffic Alert: Street Closure Planned For One-Day Event In Downtown Salem Aug. 1 - 07/29/26

Salem, Ore. — The City of Salem is alerting the public about street closures related to a planned one-day event on Saturday, Aug. 1, in downtown Salem. The permitted event will see the closure of Chemeketa Street NE between Commercial Street NE and Liberty Street NE and between Liberty Street NE and Hight Street NE from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Liberty Street NE will remain open to through traffic.

Drivers should expect increased pedestrian traffic and some delays. Temporary signage indicating road closures and lane restrictions will be in place. Drivers are asked to plan accordingly and seek alternate routes during the event. Please drive safely and watch for an increase in pedestrians in the area.

During the event, pedestrians will need to follow all pedestrian and traffic signals when crossing Liberty Street NE.

Closure Details

• Date: Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026
• Time: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Affected Streets: Chemeketa Street NE
   

The City of Salem appreciates your cooperation and patience during this event and is committed to ensuring the safety and accessibility for all residents and visitors.

CORRECTION: Concerts In The Park To Bring Music, Food And Fun To Salem Amphitheater - 07/23/26

SALEM, Ore. — The free Concerts in the Park series is back for Summer 2026 with four great Oregon acts at Salem’s Gerry Frank | Salem Rotary Amphitheater. The series begins July 31 and continues on Aug. 28. Both shows begin at 6:30 p.m., and food trucks will be on site.

Salem has been hosting free concerts in the park since 2022 to bring residents together for a fun night of music and excitement.

For more information, visit www.salemor.gov/concerts.

July 31: The Druthers with opening act Idea the Artist
The Druthers make heart-sweeping folk/pop with his-and-hers harmony. The magnetic Portland six-piece is defined by the unmistakable voices of their two lead singers. The pair is accented by a song-serving flurry of trumpet, piano, organ, guitars, drums and bass.

Idea the Artist is a Guatemalan-American singer, songwriter, painter and writer currently living in the Pacific Northwest. Her crystalline vocals soar over lush arrangements and captivating lyricism, creating vivid soundscapes rooted in a love of the mythic, triumphant and bittersweet.

Aug. 28: Haley Johnsen with opening act Erin Adkisson

Haley Johnsen, a musical maverick from Portland, Oregon, is a genre-bending artist with a career path that is uniquely her own. Influenced by iconic voices like Brandi Carlile and Bonnie Raitt, Johnsen’s vocals soar with soul in the worlds of alt-pop and Americana.

Genuine and gripping, sensual and powerful, Erin Adkisson has the extraordinary ability of turning into a completely unique instrument. Exploring healing and religious trauma with a whisper to wail, Adkisson lays herself bare.

An earlier version of this release featured an incorrect date

Salem State Capitol Complex To See Road Closures During Annual Basketball Tournament (Photo) - 07/16/26

SALEM, Ore. — Several streets around the Oregon State Capitol Complex will be closed July 20-26 for the annual Hoopla 3-on-3 street basketball tournament.

Hoopla is the biggest 3-on-3 street basketball tournament in Oregon and is the second largest in the United States.

Beginning at 6 p.m. July 20, the following streets will be closed:

• Court Street NE between 12^th Street NE and Church Street NE
• Waverly Street NE between State Street and Court Street NE
• Winter Street SE between Court Street NE and Chemeketa Street NE
• Cottage Street NE between State Street and Chemeketa Street NE

This will accommodate set-up and operation of the event and ensure the safety of all participants and visitors.

Beginning at 2 p.m. July 23, these additional streets will also be closed:

• State Street between 12^th Street NE and Cottage Street NE
• Winter Street NE between Ferry Street SE and State Street

All roads are expected to reopen by 10 p.m. July 26.

Those traveling through the area should find alternative routes during the event. For a full schedule of events, visit oregonhoopla.com.

Invasive Plant Treatment Begins July 20 In Minto-Brown Island Park - 07/15/26

SALEM, Ore. — In partnership with Willamette Riverkeeper, the City of Salem will soon begin treating two sloughs in Minto-Brown Island Park to remove the invasive plant species Ludwigia hexapetala.

Treatments will begin July 20 and continue through July 31 in Oxbow Slough and Willamette Slough. Additional treatments will occur in late August or September.

Residents and visitors are asked to stay out of the sloughs while treatment is in progress and for 24 hours after treatment to protect against possible exposure. Treated plants will show signs of blue-green dye. The dye may persist for up to two weeks.

City of Salem and Willamette Riverkeeper representatives will be available for questions or conversations at Minto-Brown Island Park July 20-22 while the work is visible from the park.

This is the third year of a five-year partnership with Willamette Riverkeeper to reduce the invasive plant in Oxbow Slough. This is a similar project to the work previously done in Willamette Slough, which will also be treated to remove small remnant patches of Ludwigia.

Ludwigia forms dense mats in slow-moving backwater channels, oxbow lakes and sloughs. While this yellow-flowered plant may appear pretty, it has the potential to choke entire waterways, severely restricting recreational access, degrading water quality and creating an environment that is unfriendly to native fish and wildlife.

Groups along the Willamette River have been working to stop the spread of this highly invasive plant.

2026 Ironman 70.3 Oregon Comes To Salem, Willamette Valley (Photo) - 07/13/26

Lane Restrictions and Road Closures: July 19, 5 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Front Street SE to Trade Street SE (Southbound): Two lanes closed, one lane open for vehicle traffic
• Commercial Street SE (Southbound): Two lanes closed, one lane open for vehicle traffic
• Mission Street (Commercial Street to Saginaw Street S): Local traffic only
• Saginaw Street S (Mission Street to Owens Street): Local traffic only
• Owens Street between Liberty Street SE and River Road S: Closed to westbound traffic
• River Road S between Owens Street and Minto Island Park Road: Closed to southbound traffic