Good morning, Salem! In today’s edition: Transportation funding pause, the magical swap meet, Ocean’s Eleven screening, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

🏆 Most popular this week

Curated by popular demand — here are this week’s most-clicked events, local spots, and stories.

State weighs transportation funding: Fuel tax and registration fee hikes are on pause after a petition qualified for November 2026 ballot, but a $30 surcharge for electric and 40-plus mpg vehicles is in effect — get all the details.

The Magical Swap Meet @ By Candlelight & Conjure | Sunday (1/11) at 11:00 AM – Whether your tarot decks are breeding or your runes need rehoming, this trade-only meetup lets you swap witchy gear with actual humans. Bring occult books, decks, runes, black mirrors, statuary, and rings, toss five bucks at the door, then move fast, the good stuff vanishes — see the event listing.

Milestones in animal welfare: Oregon Humane Society celebrated the year’s final adoptions with a cat day before New Year’s Eve. It reported thousands of placements and spay and neuter efforts in Portland and Salem — get all the details.

New path for local care: Salem Health and Santiam Hospital signed a nonbinding letter of intent to explore an affiliation to improve access and preserve care, months after Santiam and Samaritan ended a proposed merger — read the full story.

Preparing for Detroit Lake drawdown: Salem closed the Keizer connection Dec. 30 after storms strained Geren Island. Water stayed safe. It will reopen in late January for testing that could affect taste in West Salem — see how the city is preparing.

Consumer watchdogs sound alarm: Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield has joined a nationwide effort with 13 other states, launching public service announcements about gift card scams, spotting tampering, and where to report suspected fraud — learn to avoid gift card scams.

Are you overpaying? The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. I was paying over $300 for ONE car until I checked out various quotes, switched providers, and ultimately cut my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably losing money too — this free comparison tool makes it easy.

Gold & silver are hot: Gold just had it’s best year since 1979. Silver did even better, climbing nearly 150% in 2025… and analysts expect the momentum to continue. If you’re curious about adding precious metals to your portfolio as a market hedge, American Hartford has a helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free — and definitely worth a read.

A new haircare solution: My hair’s been thinning and I’ve been quietly ignoring it, hoping it’ll fix itself. Plot twist… it hasn’t. When I finally started looking into what I should do, there were so many options I didn’t know where to start. I stumbled on Keranique, and its simplicity really sold me. One kit, no pills, no choosing products, and no confusion whatsoever. It’s also on sale with a money-back guarantee (although I doubt you’ll need it).

📆 Sneak peek at next week

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🎨 Paint Night @ Tiki Lounge Lancaster | Monday (1/12) at 6:30 PM – Whether your last art class was finger paints or you secretly hoard brushes, this paint night keeps it easy, breezy, and boozy. Settle into the Tiki Lounge with fruity cocktails, tunes, and step-by-step guidance, then leave with a masterpiece, a buzz, and zero cleanup.

🐦 Birder’s Night @ Salem Scottish Rite Center | Tuesday (1/13) at 6:30 PM – Trade soggy field notes for a comfy chair at Salem Audubon’s Birder’s Night on Zoom, where you can geek out about local birds, rare sightings, and feeder drama, no mosquitoes required. You must register in advance, so grab a spot asap!

🍿 Ocean’s Eleven @ Salem Cinema | Tuesday (1/13) at 7:00 PM – Catch Ocean’s Eleven at Salem Cinema, the slick, funny caper where Clooney, Pitt, and Damon make Vegas heists look effortless and charming. Soderbergh’s polish, Julia Roberts drama, and popcorn you don’t microwave, in a room of neighbors who dress for the movies.

🌸 Radiant Lotus Women’s Qigong @ The Hot Loft | Wednesday (1/14) at 7:15 PM – Ready to swap errands for ease? Radiant Lotus Women’s Qigong at The Hot Loft uses slow, graceful movement and synced breath to restore energy and calm, featuring foundations like Showering Qi, Flying Phoenix, Rising Lotus, and a Quan Yin close. No experience needed, just curiosity.

🦋 Salem Poetry Project @ Marco Polo Global Restaurant | Thursday (1/15) at 7:00 PM – Exiled brilliance, read by four of our own. Nelly Sachs’s Flight and Metamorphosis and Brecht’s poems on fascism take the mic at Marco Polo. Stay for the Infamous Open Mic, and maybe some comfort food, because who needs small talk when you have Brecht.

✂ Ribbon Cutting – Earth Angel Wellness @ Earth Angel Wellness | Friday (1/16) at 11:00 AM – West Salem just scored a new neighbor, and they brought scissors. Earth Angel Wellness is cutting the ribbon on a veteran-owned clinic that focuses on GLP-1 weight loss injections, and they’re booking with the doc. Cross the bridge, applaud, maybe ask smart questions.

💃 All Ages Family Dance @ Dallas Event Center | Friday (1/16) at 4:00 PM – Grab the kids and hit a family dance with DJ Kdub, fun music, and games, no nightclub nonsense. It’s $5 a person or a sweet deal for big broods, kids two and under free. Show off that Dallas two-step, call it cardio, sleep well.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

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📻 Salem report

Weather forecast

Today – High: 51°F – Low: 38°F – Precip: 8%

Mostly cloudy. High near 51, with temperatures falling to around 48 in the afternoon. South wind around 3 mph. Later: A slight chance of rain showers after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. South wind around 2 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

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Tomorrow – High: 52°F – Low: 41°F – Precip: 18%

A slight chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. Later: A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Most popular house this week

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The lot feels made for gatherings with a fully fenced yard and an expansive composite deck. Everyday convenience pairs with neighborhood charm, delivering a bright, move-in-ready home with style to spare.

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