🌱 Patch AM: Recognize this suspect in the $50,000 theft at a Salem school?

Cheers Salem! We’re back, helping you stay up to date with what’s happening. Let's take on the day together! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• Recognize this suspect in the $50,000 theft at a Salem school?
• Why are Salem-area youth detained far more than elsewhere in Oregon?
• How Salem’s new OEM grant system could speed disaster recovery funds

Today's riddle: What did the windowsill say to the glass? 🤔 (Answer below!)

From our Partner
Today's Salem Patch AM is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. Everyone deserves to be connected. That's why T-Mobile and UScellular have joined forces to connect people from big cities to small towns and everywhere in between. UScellular is now a part of T-Mobile. Find out more at T-Mobile.com/Better-Together.
Find a T-Mobile store near Salem.

Weather forecast:

• Monday: Rain in the afternoon, with a high of 52 and low of 43 degrees.
• Tuesday: Cloudy with a touch of rain, temps: high: 46, low: 41.
• Wednesday: Mostly cloudy, a little rain, with a high of 49 and low of 37 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• OSP Seeks Suspect in $50,000 Theft from Oregon School for the Deaf in Salem (clayconews.com) — Oregon State Police are asking Salem residents to help identify a suspect in a $50,000 burglary at the Oregon School for the Deaf early Dec. 18. A man with red facial hair allegedly stole a school side-by-side vehicle and equipment, and anyone with tips is urged to contact OSP’s Northern Command Dispatch with case number SP25-504177.
   

• Locked out of reform: Oregon's uneven record on juvenile justice (dailyemerald.com) — Marion County, home to Salem, is detaining Hispanic and Black youth at some of the highest rates among Oregon’s largest counties, with local officials citing gang activity and limited alternatives to detention. Lawmakers representing Salem, including Rep. Kevin Mannix, say the racial disparities and heavy use of detention deserve deeper investigation, and may prompt legislative hearings and new guidance for counties statewide.
   

• OEM launches new grant platform for disaster funds • Highway 58 Herald (highway58herald.org) — State emergency officials in Salem have launched a new OEM Grants platform to manage FEMA disaster-recovery funds, aiming to speed reimbursements and improve transparency for local governments and nonprofits. For Salem-area agencies and partners, this centralized system should streamline tracking, communication with OEM staff, and long-term recovery work after future storms, fires, or other disasters.
   

📸 Around Salem

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Salem

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

Friday December 26

• No Greeters
  Salem Area Chamber of Commerce , 1110 Commercial St NE , Salem

📣 Salem Shout Outs!

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🗓 Events Nearby

Monday December 22

• Kid Day with Jathan
  Guthrie Park Community Center , 4320 Kings Valley Hwy , Dallas
  11:00 am

Tuesday December 23

• Tuesday String Band: Gilgamesh Brewing: The River
  Gilgamesh Brewing: The River , 370 S Main St , Independence
  5:00 pm
• Greater Northeast Keizer Neighborhood Association
  Keizer City , 930 Chemawa Rd NE , Keizer
  6:00 pm

Wednesday December 24

• Library Closed for Holiday
  Silver Falls Public Library , 410 South Water Street , Silverton
• Dallas, OR Coffee Club for Startups & Entrepreneurs
  WaFd Bank , 611 Main St , Dallas
  9:00 am
• Indy Coffee Club for Business Owners
  Indy Commons , 154 S Main St , Independence
  9:00 am
• Stayton Area Rotary Weekly Meetings | Santiam Golf Club
  The Hickory Spoon , 8724 Golf Club Rd SE , Aumsville
  12:00 pm
• Pocket Dimension
  Gilgamesh Brewing: The River , 370 S Main St , Independence
  5:00 pm

Friday December 26

• No Greeters
  Salem Area Chamber of Commerce , 1110 Commercial St NE , Salem
• 25 cent Sale at Rickreall Grange
  Rickreall Grange , 280 N Pacific Hwy W , Rickreall
  10:00 am
• CAREER CENTER– GMAIL, DRIVE, DOCS (SALEM)
  Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Willamette , 3535 Lancaster Dr NE , Salem
  1:00 pm

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• This is lily she’s a rescue and is acclimating to being an outdoor squirrel.
  Please watch out for her on Kingwood dr. Please drive slow (Nextdoor West Salem)
• Please share & repost to help reunite this lost cat!
  EllaBella was LOST on December 17, 2025 in Salem, OR 97305 near Unsure Sharing for a neighbor. For the latest information or to contact the owner,… (Nextdoor Kale-Hayesville)

• Mr. Rooter Plumbing posted a job opening for Customer Service Manager in Salem. Apply here.
• Pilot Travel Centers, LLC posted a job opening for Janitorial Maintenance in Salem. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Salem here.

🗞 Nearby News

Keizer

• Keizer inks its first sister city agreement, linking with Iyo, Japan (keizertimes.com)
• See photos as windstorm brings down trees on homes in Detroit (statesmanjournal.com)

Dallas

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: I feel your pane.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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