Local Buzz
Around Keizer, Oregon

Fall Book Sale When: Friday and Saturday, October 20th & October 21th, from 9am to 5pm (closing at 4pm on Saturday).  Where: Keizer Civic Center - 930 Chemawa Rd Keizer OR 97303 What: Thousands of books! Paperbacks- $.50, Hardbacks- $1, DVDs- $1 “Bag of Books for $5” sale starting at 2:30pm on Saturday 980 Chemawa Road NEKeizer, OR 97303 …

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SALEM/KEIZER, OR - (July 4, 2023) - Residents of the Salem/Keizer area, dust off your detective hats and pull on your walking shoes! The 3rd Annual Salem/Keizer Scavenger Hunt, presented by Acorn Dentistry for Kids, is back and more exciting than ever. The event will take place on Saturday, July 15, 2023 from 10 AM to 4 PM, offering a unique opportunity for locals to explore and connect with local places in Salem and Keizer. The Scavenger Hunt, co-organized by Mathew Poteet, owner of Poteet Insurance Agency, and Tim & Pam Fahndrich, publishers of WhirLocal Salem, is an exciting community event that offers a fun-filled adventure throughout the city. Participants are encouraged to join with family, fr…

My wife, Robin, and I moved to Woodburn in 1991 and It didn’t take long to recognize this is a special community.  Neighbors, businesses, and future friends sincerely desired to welcome and include us. It was easy to feel at home and part of something bigger. Much has changed since we moved here thirty-three years ago and somehow our community holds on to a culture of belonging. Could it simply be common ground? Wanting the same things? Living and working in a friendly and safe place to prosper together? Whatever the reason, it seems the greater Woodburn area successfully continues to find new ways to work together in a manner that other towns have forgotten or lost along the way. But there must be some secret ingredient……

We are thrilled to announce the winners of our 9th Annual Pumpkin Painting Contest, sponsored by GA at Home at Green Acres Landscape. 1st Place: Kelsey Ensz Kelsey will receive a $150 gift card to GA at Home at Green Acres Landscape 2nd Place: Michelle Isaksen Michelle will receive a $75 gift card to GA at Home at Green Acres Landscape 3rd Place: Emily Pate Emily will receive a $50 gift card to Geppetto's Italian Restaurant Voter's Prize: Shirley Hicks Shirley will receive a $100 gift card to The Cozy Taberna. Thank you all so much for participating, and thanks again to our sponsor, GA at Home at Green Acres Landscape. …

On Wednesday, September 28, 2022 members of the local community gathered to celebrate a dream that has now become a reality, the opening of the Epping Homestead Boys & Girls Club Branch located at 3805 Lancaster Dr. NE, Salem OR 97305. Sue Bloom, Executive Director for the Boys & Girls Club of Salem, shared that in late 2018, Gary Epping, son of Larry and Jeanette Epping, called her and said that the family wanted to give the homestead property to build a Boys & Girls Club. She said that Gary shared with her later that his dad had told Gary, Shawn, and the trustees to "use the property for its highest and best use." Full of gratitude, Sue told the crowd, "It's where we are standing today folks. The highest and best …

An unfortunate car accident on Labor Day disrupted the daily donut making operations at E.Z. Orchards Farm Market located at 5504 Hazelgreen Rd. N.E. in Salem. After a period of a couple of weeks, they have announced that they now have a temporary set up, while they are still making repairs to the main donut making area. That is mouth-watering music to the ears of many local people. After all, who doesn't love a fresh, homemade Apple Cider Donut this time of year. According to their Instagram page, they currently only have Apple Cider Donuts, but they are hoping to offer their delicious Pumpkin Donuts before October. View this post on Instagram A post shared by E. Z. Orchards (@e.z.orchardsfarmmarket) …

We recently had a chance to sit down with Becka Brisbin, one of the founders of "Punx in the Park," a free live concert and resource event to benefit Marion and Polk Counties at-risk youth, taking place at the Marion Square Skateboard Park in Salem on Saturday, September 17, 2022 from 12pm to 6pm. There will be a free clothing closet and free food for youth, as well as 20-40 youth focused, community resource partners, 5 local bands, youth speakers, and more. As someone who experienced homelessness as a youth, Becka explained that one of their goals is to be the adult to at-risk youth that she wished she would have had when she was young. Becka said, "We want to mix adult “punks” with the youth and provide the opportunity to …

On Saturday, September 17, 2022 at 9:00 AM the Salem area community will come together at Riverfront Park to walk in support of those living with Alzheimer's disease and their families. This annual event is a great way for the local community to unite and raise awareness and funds for this devastating disease. Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's® is the world's largest fundraiser for Alzheimer's care, support and research. This inspiring event calls on participants of all ages and abilities to join the fight against the disease. While there is no fee to register for Walk, all participants are encouraged to raise critical funds that allow the Alzheimer’s As…

It's that time of year again! Back to school for Salem / Keizer kids. As families begin to readjust their schedules, drivers in the Salem / Keizer area are being urged to use extra caution on the roads. With more children walking and biking to school, there will be more pedestrians out and about during the morning and afternoon commutes. Let's keep our kids safe! Photo Credit: Salem Keizer School District Here are a few tips for drivers to keep in mind as kids head back to school: Slow Down and Obey the Speed Limit. This one should go without saying, but unfortunately, it bears repeating. When there are more people on the roads and kids walking or biking to school, there is a greater chance of something going wrong. Slow down …

The Willamette Valley is spoiled with an abundance of incredible hikes just begging to be explored—and many of them are located close to Salem! Whether you're looking for an easy nature walk or a challenging hike up a mountain, there's sure to be a trail close by that's perfect for your family. Here are five of our favorites. Silver Falls State Park View this post on Instagram A post shared by Adam, Kathryn, & Kona (Adventures of A+K) (@adventuresofaplusk) Located just 30 minutes east of Salem, Silver Falls State Park is a hidden gem that's perfect for a day trip. With gorgeous waterfalls and plenty of opportunities for picnicking and swimming, it's the ideal place to spend a day with the family. This lov…

While many people head out of town for Labor Day weekend, many more have a staycation during the long weekend and are looking for fun things to do. So, we thought we'd put a list of a few ideas together for you. Oregon State Fair Activities This is the last weekend of the Oregon State Fair, and there is a lot going on Beach Boys Concert at the Oregon State Fair Saturday 7pmDia de la Familia at the Oregon State Fair Sunday 10amMotor Mania at the Oregon State Fair Sunday 2 PM – 4 PMGerry Frank Memorial Chocolate Cake Contest at the Oregon State Fair (presented by the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce) Sunday 2pm Labor Day Weekend Festival At Redhawk Winery Live music, food, and wine. View this post on Instagram …

As fall sports get underway in Oregon, it's hard to miss the contribution that local sports journalist Jeremy McDonald has had on our community over the past several years. Jeremy runs JMcDonaldMedia.com and related social media channels. He doesn't get paid, but as he likes to say, "It's his full time job". He's been running the site and covering local sports for about 8 years. He is a prolific sports journalist and he keeps a schedule that is not for the faint of heart. Add to that fact that he volunteers his time and is not a paid journalist, and it makes it even more special. According to Jeremy, he just wants to help out. "Sports are a way of life.  At one point or another, we knew someone (or even ourselves), that pl…

Dates: 8/26-9/5/2022Location: Oregon State Fairgrounds, Salem It's fair time at the Oregon State Fair. Do you have favorite memories of visiting the fair? Or, have you never been? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Oregon State Fair (@oregonstatefair) Here are 6 reasons to visit the Oregon State Fair The concertsThe livestock and rodeoThe ridesThe foodThe contests and "best of show"And, the vendors and local businesses The Concerts There are always a ton of great concerts at the Oregon State Fair, and this year is no exception. You can check them out at the Oregon State Fair website. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Oregon State Fair (@oregonstatefair) …

$100 gift card to winner's choice of Rudy's Steakhouse or Lively Station, plus 4 tickets to the Salem Capitals basketball game on Sunday, May 8, 2022 at 3pm against the Vancouver Volcanoes. Brought to you by WhirLocal & Summit Cleaning & Restoration Oops! Entries are now closed. CONGRATULATIONS to Melissa Crowston on winning the Mother's Day Giveaway! Subscribe to our newsletter and discover great local places and content, special offers, and more in the Salem area…