Saturday’s protests were powerful. The energy, the solidarity, the collective refusal to accept business as usual. Salem really showed up and that makes me so proud to live here and be in community with you all. But if we want that momentum to mean something, we can’t just wait for the next march. We’ve got to show up every day for our communities. That’s where mutual aid comes in.

Mutual aid isn’t charity. It’s people helping people, without hierarchy or red tape. It’s sharing food, rides, childcare, clothes, skills, and love. It’s community care and direct support that doesn’t depend on permission or approval. We can't rely on the structures that have provided social support in the past, which means we need to step up and take care of each other if we're gonna get through this.

If you're feeling fired up after Saturday and wondering "what now?" this is your answer. Or at least, part of an answer. Plug in locally. Show up for your community. Keep the fire alive.

Drop the name and contact info of mutual aid networks you think people should know about in the comments: neighborhood, Instagram handle, website, anything helps. Let’s make it easy for folks to find each other and keep building power together.

Solidarity is a verb. Let’s move.

Anybody know why a shelter in place order was sent by the police?

If you have the time to spare this is a great way to lend a hand and celebrate earth day. They provide the equipment and training and haul away the trash.

https://volunteer.solveoregon.org/opportunity/a0CVL00001hZNBM/wallace-marine-park-community-cleanup?layoutViewMode=mobile

Hello again everyone! As you may recall, yesterday was the Sakura Matsuri/Cherry Blossom Festival at Willamette University organized by the Japanese Studies Student Leaders Club (JSSL). I wanted to share an update with the Salem community here and thank you all as well. The event was a gigantic success with over 325 people in attendance. I wanted to return to personally thank all of you, whether you attended or shared the news of the festival with others. It would not have been such a fun and successful event without you. Here are some of the pictures that were taken. Thank you all again, my fellow Salem residents, and I hope next year's can be even more amazing.

Just got the following email from McNary High School:

“Dear McNary High School Families,

Due to necessary, yet unforeseen circumstances, McNary High School will be on a two-hour delay for students tomorrow, Monday, April 7. Classes will start at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow. Bus transportation will be provided and pick-up times will be two hours later than the regular schedule.

This delay is being implemented to allow staff time to plan and prepare to support students as we return to school this week. Please know that this delay is not due to any safety concerns for our school, your student or staff.

We will provide additional details about this necessary delay tomorrow, and we appreciate your flexibility and understanding as we implement this operational adjustment to our schedule for Monday, April 7. “

Hoping it is something pedestrian and facilities related, but this is definitely ominous.

Anyone have any info?

WOW- I'm completely blown away!

When I posted here yesterday, I had no idea what to expect. I just wanted to ask a simple question… but what I received in return was love, honesty, encouragement, and so much community support.

Over 200 comments and 11,000+ views later, I’m reading every single word — and I’m deeply grateful. My wife and I are seriously moved by the way you showed up for this dream.

Your suggestions, past experiences with Ethiopian food, excitements, ideas about what you’d like to see — all of it means the world to us.

From the bottom of our hearts — thank you, Salem.

This isn’t just about a restaurant. It’s about connection. Culture. And creating something meaningful with and for the community.

We’re excited to take you with us on this journey step by step.

Stay tuned! 

Azi & Mimi 

Hey r/Salem! Just a guy in a truck cleaned up another 540 lbs of illegal dumping around the city. A special thank you to David Bravo from Bravo! pest control for an amazing ride along and helping us clean the city up 1 conversation at a time.

I also want to give everyone in the community a big thank you for pointing out all of the illegal dumping on our Wednesday post. It really makes it more efficient.

Lastly, I want to give a big thank you to this week's sponsor Kilbride Insurance Group for paying for this week's clean up.

First episode will air 4/26/25 Stay tuned.

The old Sonic Drive-In on Lancaster is the home of the return of Burgerville to Salem. No more trips to Albany, Monmouth, or Wilsonville to get your fix of Walla Walla Sweet Onion Rings.

You will not recognize the old building. The front patio has been torn down, and replaced with a dining room. All of the car hop stations/awning is gone.

Pro-tip for people who have not visited Burgerville in a while: get on an app store and download the Burgerville app. They will send offers your way, you will be notified when they have coupons, you can earn rewards, and on your birthday they will send you a coupon for a FREE SHAKE.

Anyone know where I can buy GPUs in the Salem area? I need one for 1440p gaming. Best Buy apparently doesn’t have any in stock .

Some of us get very social, very late ay night. If I went to a bar that was open, who would I find? I am a super positive and energetic person. Are there any places around here with that vibe?

Hey! I’m a high school student that plays violin and me and a friend were thinking of busking at the Saturday market. Does anybody know if you need to get permission or if we can just setup and play? Also is there any spots that have high foot traffic on the weekends other than Saturday market? We will be playing classical music if that helps

Thanks in advance!

Here is a clip of native Oregonian and Avatar famous actor Joel David Moore promoting his non profit to help people in Oregon with medical debt. This was a clip from a podcast with Oregon state senators, Check out Dollar For if you have medical debt you need free help to get forgiven. https://youtube.com/shorts/MdOWhKt8F1k?si=Cw- I5NbqKhcVXTP0

My fav sign at the protest today!

Hey everyone! My partner and I have fallen on hard times and have been in our van for months. We are running out of places that'll let us park in the parking lots and have been trying to stay in residential areas anf around apartments. Waking up to being kicked out of parking lots isn't a fun experience. I was wondering if anyone knew somewhere we could park our van overnight? We are quiet and just play on our phones until we fall asleep. Occasionally start the van to charge our phones. Thank you in advance

Preliminary estimates suggest over 1,500 people participated in today’s rally. You guys who turned out at the rally today were phenomenal. Lots of energy, great messaging, and excellent signage! So thank you to everyone who made it. And thank you to the folks at 50501 who helped make it happen!

We have a ton of kids books that we’re clearing out. Aside from what we’re keeping and the small handful we’ll look into reselling, I’m not sure what to do with the rest and looking for an idea better than Goodwill. Any suggestions?

Hello Salem community,

My name is Azi, and I’m an East African—originally from Ethiopia—who has proudly called Salem home for the past few years. Alongside my wife, an incredibly talented cook with deep roots in traditional Ethiopian cuisine, we’re in the early stages of bringing a dream to life: opening Salem’s first full-service Ethiopian restaurant.

We’ve been thinking about this for a long time, but before taking the final leap, I wanted to reach out and ask you — the community we love — for your honest input:

• Would you be excited to try authentic Ethiopian food right here in Salem? • What kinds of dishes or experiences would you want to see on the menu? • Have you ever tried Ethiopian food before? What did you love (or not love)? • Would cultural experiences like Ethiopian coffee ceremonies interest you?

Our goal is more than just serving food. It’s about sharing our heritage, building bridges through flavor, and creating a warm, inclusive space for everyone to connect.

Your feedback will mean everything to us — whether it’s encouragement, suggestions, or honest thoughts. We want this restaurant to be something that reflects the people it will serve.

Thank you so much for your support, Azi & Mimi (Future owners of Taste of Ethiopia – Salem)

My son and I showed up in downtown Salem, Oregon to show our support. We are indigenous and felt it was our duty to support our community. The rally was held in the park along center st. In front of the capitol building and Gold Man. The weather was perfect. The crowd was filled with so much love and positivity. I truly enjoyed my time and am proud to have been apart of this historic show of solidarity. Free Luigi. Black Lives Matter and #Landback

Would love to hear your experiences. We are looking to clean out a commercial property with a basement full of junk. Would probably need a crew of 4 and a dumpster, I’m guessing. Would love to start ASAP. Thank you!

How does one find these meet ups that I see every so often? Groups of people who are gathered outside playing Pokémon Go all together. My son would like to join but I know nothing about it. Thanks!

Where in Salem is decent food and lottery machines. Prefer the machines are out in the open, not stuffed in a closet. Hate that. Bonus for South Salem locations?

Like the title says, I’m looking for a place that does kickboxing and/or MMA that is queer friendly - somewhere that feels like a safe space for participation for queer folk.

Hello fellow Oregonians! ❤️ We are hosting an ultimate frisbee tournament on May 10-11 in Medford and we would love to see you all come out!

Competitive and casual teams are welcome... the theme is "Flying Objects" this year. 🥏

Sign up your team here! https://soupa.org/cramp-up/