Ardeshir Tabrizian

Marion County prosecutors argued on Friday in federal court that DEA agent Samuel Landis should be prosecuted for running a stop sign and killing a cyclist last year. Landis’ attorneys are seeking to drop his charge of criminally negligent homicide.

Mario Lara, a veteran firefighter, was planning to retire after 37 years with the state Department of Forestry. He had just beaten cancer and gotten engaged when he died in a crash with an intoxicated driver in north Salem.

A house fire on Northeast Garnet Street was quickly brought under control Wednesday morning. No injuries were reported, Salem Fire officials said.

Police said Friday afternoon that five West Salem schools went into lockdown due to reports of a student with a gun near West Salem High School. They didn’t confirm whether the student was actually armed or if they were arrested.

Authorities have shared few details about what triggered five school lockdowns on Sept 27. They say reports of an armed student near West Salem High School resulted in police arresting two boys, 14 and 15, and seizing a gun.

The Salem-Keizer “working together” sign at the cities’ border has been disfigured by car crashes repeatedly for almost two decades, costing Salem $72,000 in just the last three years. Officials are considering removing the brick structure.

The Oregon Youth Authority declined to explain how three young men escaped from MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in February, but security measures put in place since then were focused on blocking vehicle access and adding fencing.

Anna Davis and Eric Frey bonded over wanting to showcase the work of local artists. Three years into their friendship, they’ve taken over as the new owners of Salem on the Edge. The downtown gallery, which closed last month, reopens on Friday.

State utility regulators announced that NW Natural’s average bill for residential customers will go up by 4.5% in November. That reflects a larger rate increase offset by a decrease in the actual cost of gas.

State officials have proposed revoking the police certification of Steven Mayberry after finding he used city computers and databases to stalk his ex-wife and filed false claims to her employer. He is contesting the revocation.