Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: Why a new state tenant is moving into Salem’s ODOT headquarters
Coming up: Sundial Tour of Homes on the Salem Patch calendar
Good morning to you Salem! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- Why a new state tenant is moving into Salem's ODOT headquarters
- How Salem-area shop owners helped crack a Christmas Eve gold heist
- How did Salem's fleet climb to No. 1 in the nation?
Also on today's calendar: Sundial Tour of Homes and 7 more events.
Today's riddle: What has a neck but no head? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Saturday: Nice with clouds breaking, with a high of 73 and low of 49 degrees.
- Sunday: Nice with clouds breaking, temps: high: 77, low: 51.
- Monday: Sun and some clouds, with a high of 81 and low of 54 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. ODOT leasing out some of its office space in Salem – Daily Journal of Commerce (djcoregon.com) — State transportation officials are shrinking their footprint by leasing out ground-floor space at ODOT's headquarters on Salem's Capitol Mall to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, starting a 10-year lease this fall. The move helps ODOT save money amid budget pressures, brings in about $675,000 per biennium, and reflects broader shifts toward remote and hybrid work for many state employees. 
2. Gold thief sentenced for Christmas Eve heist at Oregon rock museum (koin.com) — A man who tried to sell stolen museum gold in the Salem area has been sentenced to a year in prison for a 2023 Christmas Eve heist at Hillsboro's Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals. Investigators say Salem- and Woodburn-area precious metal and pawn shop staff helped foil the scheme by recognizing the items from law enforcement alerts and contacting authorities.
3. How Public Fleets Are Rethinking Vehicles, EVs, and Culture (government-fleet.com) — Salem's public fleet just earned recognition as the No. 1 Leading Fleet of 2026, thanks in part to a major culture shift in how the city manages vehicles and staff. A national Government Fleet roundup highlights Salem alongside Glendale and emerging EV-as-a-service models, putting the city's operations in the spotlight for other agencies to study.
4. Salem driver, 19, involved in fatal pedestrian crash off Hwy 20, Oregon troopers say (koin.com) — A 19-year-old Salem resident was identified as the driver in a fatal pedestrian collision on Highway 20 in Lincoln County, where a Toledo man was found dead in a roadside ditch. Oregon State Police say the teen initially thought he hit a deer, then learned it might have been a person and cooperated after the incident was reported. The investigation is ongoing and closed part of the highway overnight.
📸 Around Salem
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Salem
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- Sundial Tour of Homes →
2310 Lancaster Dr SE, Salem
12:00 pm
Saturday August 29
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- House Concert benefiting Salem Parks Foundation, hosted by Mark Wigg →
Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Sunday, August 30, 7-8:30 p.m. 1950 Saginaw St. S, Salem, Oregon
7:00 pm - Grace Goudy Distinguished Artists Series presents: The Elsewhere Ensemble3
Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Hudson Hall, Willamette University 900 State Street Salem, OR 97301
7:30 pm - Business Advocacy Monthly Meeting
Salem Area Chamber of Commerce 1110 Commercial St NE, Salem, OR 97301
7:00 am - Leadership Salem - Orientation (09-03-2026)
Salem Area Chamber of Commerce 1110 Commercial St NE, Salem, OR 97301
4:30 pm - Back to School Night
Leslie Middle Salem, OR 97302
5:30 pm - GROW 2026 Estate Planning for Women
Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Broadway Commons 1300 Broadway St NE Salem, OR 97301
6:00 pm - Greeters Hosted by Prudential Financial, Zachary Keller
Salem Area Chamber of Commerce 1110 Commercial St NE, Salem, OR 97301
8:30 am - Florence Mineral and Gem Show →
Florence Events Center, 715 Quince St, Florence
10:00 am - Chelsea Wolfe →
Elsinore Theatre, 170 High St SE, Salem
7:00 pm
Sunday August 30
Wednesday September 2
Thursday September 3
Friday September 4
Saturday September 5
Saturday September 19
📣 Salem Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
🗓 Events Nearby
- CHAMPIONSHIP GAME 2 →
Volcanoes Stadium, 6700 Field Of Dreams Way Northeast Suite 101, Keizer
6:00 pm - SFSD First Day of School
Pratum Elem Salem, OR 97305 - Grace Goudy Distinguished Artists Series presents: The Elsewhere Ensemble3
Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Hudson Hall, Willamette University 900 State Street Salem, OR 97301
7:30 pm - Business Advocacy Monthly Meeting
Salem Area Chamber of Commerce 1110 Commercial St NE, Salem, OR 97301
7:00 am
Saturday August 29
Monday August 31
Wednesday September 2
Thursday September 3
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Salem PatchAM possible:
- Sundial 55+ Active Lifestyle Community — (503) 363-6234
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- These are pictures that I took of the partial Lunar Eclipse tonight in Salem, Oregon with my Nikon DSLR.
Sitting outside and watching the eclipse was an emotional time for me. On the day of the eclipse, even the sun steals his shine from the moon. … (Nextdoor Meadowlawn - Glenwood) - A friend is going into memory care next week and can't take her two cats.
She adopted them as kittens 10 years ago They have only been indoor cats. Buster is the gray and white cat and is more confident. Hey You is the… (Nextdoor Morningside)
- Bonaventure Senior Living posted a job opening for Activity Coordinator - The Iris by Bonaventure in Salem. Apply here.
- The Home Depot, Inc. posted a job opening for Freight/Receiving in Salem. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Salem here.
Ok Salem! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: A bottle (Thank you Netty W. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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