Good morning, Salem.

To The Ceiling Entertainment is out from the Grand Theatre after unpaid artist claims and over $100,000 in back rent emerged after an Aug.

8 show. The Meduri family, which owns the building, is seeking a new operator as scheduled events may change+.

Salem-Keizer Public Schools’ summer program helped first+second graders achieve reading gains in four weeks that typically take two and a half months, with 1,000 students benefiting from $1 million in state literacy funds.

Third and fourth graders improved at normal rates during the program.

Chemeketa Community College has received a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to expand STEM research courses over the next three years — the project aims to serve as a national model for course-based research.

A state agency signed a $6.7 million contract in May 2025 to sell 32 acres at Mill Creek Corporate Center for a Silicon Valley firm planning a data center; Gov. Tina Kotek pulled the deal in July after learning the project would use state land.

Lawmakers in Oregon will face a record wildfire-fighting bill next week as proposals to fund climate cleanup measures lost out in committee despite strong public support.

Sen. Golden said powerful industry lobbying undermined his attempts to hold fossil fuel companies accountable, highlighting a growing climate financing challenge for the state.