Daily
Salem
Wednesday, December 31st, 2025
Good morning, Salem. Here's your local news at a glance for Wednesday, the 31st of December.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ Salem Public Library reported 1.5 million checkouts in 2025—a rise from about 1 million in 2024—while residents favored “Remarkably Bright Creatures” as the top book. The library restored Sunday and evening hours in November after voters approved a property tax increase last May. Salem Reporter
BUSINESS NEWS
- ➤ In 2025, Salem welcomed several new businesses as Liberty Plaza transformed into The Forge with Clink! restaurant and others, and venues like Finders Keepers Unique Boutique and Statesman Storage opened. Precious Pizza relocated to serve downtown customers plus a new Grocery Outlet began in south Salem. Statesman Journal
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ This year, Salem saw new leadership with Mayor Julie Hoy and a new city manager take charge while downtown redevelopment and extra school funding reshaped public services after a property tax approval (restoring libraries and community amenities). Salem Reporter
- ➤ USPS operates with regular hours today while FedEx runs limited services and most UPS locations remain closed on New Year's Eve; residents are advised to check with local offices for specific schedules. Statesman Journal
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ Salem Health and PacificSource reached a new contract that will keep Oregon Health Plan patients in network for 2026 (ensuring access to care at all Salem Health facilities), preventing service disruption for around 140,000 Medicaid users in Marion and Polk counties. Salem Reporter
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Energize & Elevate
10 AM – 2 PM — The Reed — Check website for costs — Discover balance and wellness strategies aimed at busy professionals and entrepreneurs.
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Cascade Creatives Grand Opening
12-3 p.m. — LAP Studio — Free entry — Celebrate the opening of a new design studio with giveaways, tacos, and community connection.
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First Taste Oregon
January 23-24 — Oregon State Fair & Exposition Center — Admission info available — Celebrate Oregon's finest offerings in art, brew, food, music, and more.
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Tales the Winds Remember
3-5 p.m. — Rose Auditorium — Free entry — Experience a musical journey through stories and legends with the Salem Symphonic Winds.
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January Paint & Sip at Flight Deck Restaurant & Lounge
6-8 p.m. — Flight Deck Restaurant & Lounge — Food and beverages available for purchase — Unwind with a creative night of painting an adorable Winter Scene.
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Genealogy Workshop: Ancestry & FamilySearch
4:30-5:45 p.m. — Salem Public Library — Free entry — Explore genealogy resources with hands-on assistance from experts.
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Hybrid Apprenticeship Workshop at WorkSource Salem
2-3:30 p.m. — WorkSource Oregon - Salem Center — Free entry — Discover hands-on training opportunities in various apprenticeship programs to kickstart your career.
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English as a Second Language Beginner Class
3 PM — Salem Public Library — Free entry — Enhance your English skills with a supportive, multilingual atmosphere.
No new real estate listings today. You can submit one here.
No new job posts today. You can submit one here.
No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
TODAY'S FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.
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Reveal the authorAbout Daily Salem
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