r/SALEM 6d ago

Data center mega thread

107 Upvotes

Okay, five plus posts today later, here we are. If it’s data center-related, pro or con, put it in this thread.

Posts about the data center that don’t go in here will be deleted.


r/SALEM Nov 15 '24

Read this before you post here

233 Upvotes

Welcome to r/SALEM, and thanks for your interest in posting here. Before you do, please be aware that — like many city/area-focused subreddits — we have some topics that come up very frequently. Sometimes that’s okay, and is an inevitable part of being a long-running community-focused forum, and sometimes it is super annoying and will lead to people down-voting your post because they’re tired of seeing the same thing over and over again.

If you’re about to post about any of the following, please first use the search function (right up in the upper right hand corner, if you’re viewing this on the web!) to see if something similar has been posted recently. If it has, please contribute to that thread rather than starting a new one.

Frequently posted things:

Did you hear that boom/firework/gunshot/weird noise?

This comes up a lot; frequently folks are concerned they may have heard gunshots and/or fireworks and are looking for reassurance. First, know that it probably was not a gun shot. There is a very good chance that it was fireworks, or somebody with an altered muffler, or, if you also noticed a power outage or blip at the same time, a transformer exploding. Second, if you’re actually seriously concerned about gunshots, you should probably be contacting the police, not Reddit. Third, if you live near a vineyard (and, if you live anywhere in the Salem area, you do!), you should be aware that vineyards use acoustic devices — basically massive noisemakers — to scare birds away from grape vines. This is especially frequent in the late fall, near harvest time.

OMG what is that smell?

Salem, and many surrounding areas, lie in the Willamette River Valley. Due to the topography of the area, we experience temperature inversions) with some regularity. An inversion occurs when a layer of warmer, more elevated air overlies a lower, cooler air layer. Effectively, this traps the air in the valley underneath the warmer layer, which means that smoke, vehicle exhaust, rotting vegetation smells, etc., cannot escape. That’s probably what you’re smelling.

Is there any good <insert cuisine here> in Salem? Where can I buy <thing> in Salem?

These types of threads come up fairly often. The restaurant scene in Salem is decent, but not exceptionally dynamic — places do not close all that often, and new places don’t open all that often either. If somebody has asked this question within the last couple months (again, use that search function!), the answers that they got are almost certainly still relevant.

Why is the train stopped or blowing its horn?

There are a number of freight lines that route trains through Salem. Occasionally, they will need to stop to onload or offload cars, which may result in a longer-than-usual wait time at a crossing. This is normal.

Sometimes, unfortunately, there are train-versus-pedestrian collisions. When those happen, the train will need to be stopped for an extended period of time to allow police to investigate the scene.

Finally, while many portions of Salem are zoned (and signed) as “no train horn” areas, it remains at the discretion of the train engineer as to whether or not to sound their horn, and some of them, well, tooting their horn just toots their horn.

What’s going on with all the cops?

We don’t have any way of knowing. You may be able to consult PulsePoint, but they only report on fire and EMS, not strictly police. You may also be able to find an online police radio scanner relay; those are typically time-delayed.

OMG what is going on with the low-flying helicopters?!

The Oregon Air National Guard has a helicopter squad that is based near the Salem Municipal Airport. They do routine training missions, which frequently involve lower-altitude flights, most often at night. The Salem police department does not have a helicopter, so any low-flying helicopter you’re hearing is almost certainly the Oregon Air National Guard. frequently. Sometimes that’s okay, and is an inevitable part of being a long-running community-focused forum, and sometimes it is super annoying and will lead to people downvoting your post because they’re tired of seeing the same thing over and over again.


r/SALEM 8h ago

70 degrees at 5 am

81 Upvotes

Rad.


r/SALEM 1h ago

REQUEST Car Crash on Center and 12th

Upvotes

Long story short I was involved in a car accident on 12th and Center right in the middle of the intersection. Guy ran a red after train barriers came up, I couldn't stop in time, t boned him. No injuries on either side.

There was a witness but I foolishly did not get the name and phone number. No business around got video of the incident either.

Did anyone happen to witness the incident, or better yet have camera footage of it?

Thank you for any help, recommendations are welcome!


r/SALEM 16h ago

QUESTION Found Cat/Center St

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60 Upvotes

Hey y'all,

This wonderful feline has been blessing our back yard for the past few months around Center and 45th. They're obviously not a stray. They come really close to our back door, they seem to be drawn to our two indoor cats as they communicate through the sliding door, and... Well, you can just tell this was someone's baby.

If anyone recognizes this amazing cat, please message me. They're not forthcoming enough to approach humans, but we've slowly been winning them over with food and water.

If we can wrangle em, we're going to get them checked out at the vet and make sure they're healthy. But if someone knows where their home is, we'd love to help.

Hoping we can help this furry friend find their human family.

-J


r/SALEM 1h ago

QUESTION A good place to donate?

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Upvotes

I’m a local artist and I got sent some samples of a kids paper craft kit I worked on. Is there some good after school programs or youth centers nearby I could donate some of these too? Would prefer a non profit and not a paid daycare.

If anyone knows a place let me know!


r/SALEM 18h ago

Parasite fun

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58 Upvotes

Is this happening in Salem that you know of? I don’t know anyone who has gotten it.

I have cancer and this is concerning (even without)

Sorry if asked and answered. i know the whole thing is a hot mess, but just hoping it’s not common here yet.

Off topic. Blackberries are falling off bushes. Go get them!

Thankyou for any help.


r/SALEM 21h ago

Marion County Approved $20M in 30 Days, Often With One Commissioner Missing

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71 Upvotes

r/SALEM 10h ago

Traffic information night tonight! (South Gateway Neighbors)

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5 Upvotes

South Gateway Neighbors is hosting its inaugural information night! We're a neighborhood association, meaning we're one of Salem's 17 organizations of residents working together to build community and facilitate communication between our neighborhood and the city government.

To that end, we're trying something new: hosting information nights with guest speakers on topics of interest to residents. We often have guest speakers at our board meetings, but time is often limited, so we've arranged to have an entirely separate meeting dedicated just to our guest speaker. Tonight's guest speaker will be city traffic engineer Kara Hall, who will answer your questions about traffic!

The meeting is tonight (July 22) from 6-8 p.m. at Baxter Hill Community Hall, 1780 Baxter Hill Rd. S.E. Everyone is welcome to attend! If you can, please submit questions ahead of time to our chair at [email protected]. We will also try to have the meeting on Zoom. Please see our July agenda for the link and login instructions. Note that while our monthly board meetings start at 6:30 p.m., the information night will start at 6 p.m.!

Are there any topics you'd like to see covered at future information nights?


r/SALEM 17h ago

Mac and cheese🤬

13 Upvotes

What’s your guys favorite Mac and cheese from Salem ?🤬


r/SALEM 22h ago

Cheese Curds

19 Upvotes

Anyone know of a good local place here in Salem to buy fresh cheese curds?


r/SALEM 1d ago

FOOD This post is about grapes not the data center.

52 Upvotes

Would building a Data Center near vineyards have a potential impact on that?

Seems silly but Oregon grapes are sensitive, the wine industry took a steady hit from the marijuana grow operations which happened around the and the impact they had on the grapes.

Willamette Valley Vineyards for instance before legalization was trading at
$6-$8 a share in average as a successful wine business. And then in a land about 2020 there was a massive influx of marijuana grows in salem and around the vineyard

https://theoutline.com/post/5062/wine-and-weed-go-to-war-in-oregon-maysara-vineyards

the vineyards tried to fight the marijuana and they lost. And now people don’t buy as much Oregon win internationally because the wine tastes a bit off. Making wine is delicate, for delicate people. Rich alcoholics won’t settle for any bitter after all.

But after 2020 after the bottle was loss with weed, willamette valley vineyard is now down to $2 a share.

Could the vibrations impact the grapes, that’s a question worth asking.

I’d post it in the mega thread but the mega thread is just copy and paste protest posts and hard to decipher and read for this stand alone topic I bringing up. There’s also a lot obvious bots Astro turfing to manipulate comment sentiment there.

Full disclosure I don’t drink wine, I’m allergic. But I like the he ambience of having winery’s around. I like the culture they bring. I like the greenery. The intellectual looking for a buzz cut that come in from out of town or out of country to chat with and poke their brains when they are off work in a setting of libations.

What sort of culture does this data center bring? The police state? Palantir? ICE facial recognition storage? What are they excited about storing when Ai has been a flop for regular consumer like you and me. Most of us simply didn’t ask for it and don’t need it. So far the only real people who are paying billionss for AI is the federal government and they are spending the money to make it easier to control people.

If these concerned were address I wouldn’t really have a problem with a data center so longer as they were a good neighbor and kept any promises they make.

Not certain my post would fit in some “mega thread” it’s more than a comment it a an attempt to start an entire conversation before this public city meetings.

Because we only get one chance to have a city meetings. I can’t go because I’m disabled. So the most I can do is share my ideas with everyone.

Thank you for taking your time to read this.


r/SALEM 20h ago

What is the best place to get my Xbox cleaned?

4 Upvotes

My Xbox is a little bit dusty and just needs a good clean, I also want it to be looked at just to see if there's anything wrong with it that could be fixed to make it run faster. I don't want to get scammed if anyone knows a good place to go to I'd appreciate it!


r/SALEM 1d ago

VW Mechanic Recommendations?

8 Upvotes

Greetings fellow Salemanders,

Does anyone have a recommendation for a trustworthy mechanic who works on late model VW's? I am going to look at a '69 VW Type 3 and would very much like to get a pre-purchase inspection by someone who knows a bit more about what they are doing before I pull the trigger. I've done some light wrenching and am capable of general maintenance but would like to ensure I'm not getting in over my head right from the start.

Thanks in advance.


r/SALEM 1d ago

Heat Advisory Tommorow

55 Upvotes

Reminder that cooling Centers will be open tomorrow at ARCHES day center, ARCHES family first, and ARCHES woodburn shelter. Please drop any more known cooling centers below. Stay safe this week everyone!


r/SALEM 1d ago

To whoever keeps doing this on the crosswalk signs to the park on the waterfront...

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172 Upvotes

.... Thank you. It always makes me chuckle, especially when the city washes it off and you vandalize it again, keep it up.


r/SALEM 1d ago

Anyone remember and know the story of John and Carol Lewis that owned Mr Mystics and a few other "businesses" before they got arrested (at least, I think they were arrested)?

28 Upvotes

Back in the early 1980s when I worked downtown, I noticed the owner of the Mr Mystics Magic Shop would drive a different car almost every day to the shop, including the only Ferrari I had ever seen in that town.

I assumed he was either doing really, really well at the magic shop, or something else was going on. It turned out to be "something else was going on", as he and his wife owned some adult businesses and a massage place. If I remember it right, they got arrested. Don't know what happened after that.

It's been 40 years now, if you know what was going on DM me or post it on here.


r/SALEM 1d ago

ISO FTM-Friendly Gynecologist

37 Upvotes

Like the title says, I'm looking for someone to do a pap smear who won't make me feel insane as a trans man. I have Kaiser Perm. and/or United for insurance.

I'm 28 and started medically transitioning at 16, so I pass completely as a cis man in any occasion except when I'm not wearing clothes (to my own bemusement). Never had a pap smear, and while I haven't had any emergency symptoms or family history, I know it's good for preventative care. I'm looking for recommendations from other trans guys who have had positive experiences as men receiving gynecological care in the area. I can get an appointment in Eugene or Portland area too.

Would love a provider who knows how to offer a pap smear to a male patient in a way that is knowledgeable and supportive about trans issues without making the patient feel like an irregularity in their scope of care, and has a chill front desk person/waiting room.

But, I also know I live in reality, so a provider who just treats me like any other patient without making a huge deal about me being trans and not getting macroagressed by the scheduling tech would also work great.

Or let me know about providers who gave you a negative experience so I at least know who to avoid.


r/SALEM 20h ago

EVENT Friday Night Laughs - 7/24 @ 7pm

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0 Upvotes

Willamette Valley Laughs presents:

Friday Night Laughs at Cellar 54 in the basement of The Forge in downtown Salem, OR.

Starring: Jordan Casner named “Portland’s Funniest Person” for 2025 by Helium Comedy Club.

Featuring: Nick Meier a Midwesterner bring up some of that Southern Oregon charm to Salem.

Friday, July 24th at 7:00pm.

Doors open at 6:30pm.

21+ Over

Tickets on sale now through www.tickets.willamettevalleylaughs.com

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Jordan Casner

Jordan Casner is a stand-up comedian and writer from Portland, Oregon. He performs at clubs and festivals all over the country and has opened for performers including Taylor Tomlinson, Leanne Morgan, David Spade, and Brian Regan. He was a writer for the live PDX sketch show Wunderkonntent and was recently crowned “Portland’s Funniest Person” for 2025 by Helium Comedy Club as well as one of the Willamette Week’s Top 5 Comedians

Nick Meier

Nick Meier is a Southern Oregon comedian who hails from the Midwest. You’ll get the feeling that a family member is telling jokes in your living room with enough presence that even the kids listen. He has a unique perspective on the many things that make life funny from his travels across the country and has found his calling in using those experiences to blend all audiences together.


r/SALEM 1d ago

QUESTION Does Anyone Know What's Going on With the Beep Beep Salem App? (New Contractor?)

24 Upvotes

Hey all, has anyone heard anything from the City about making changes to the Beep Beep Salem app and the associated service contract?

An update to the iOS version of the app was pushed live a bit earlier this month. The icon is now grayed out.

Meanwhile another version of the app, aptly named "Beep Beep Salem - New" has shown up on the iOS app store at the same time. This app is from a completely different developer (ParkMobile), though it uses the City's official icon.

My first assumption here is that the "New" app is a scam. But given the timing of all of this (the old app goes gray at the same time the new one shows up), and that ParkMobile seems to be a legitimate developer, I am doubtful that's the case. This is happening almost one year to the day that paid downtown parking went live, so I am thinking that the city did not extend its contract with Flowbird, and brought on ParkMobile instead.

But I haven't been able to find an iota of news or a statement from the city to this effect. The official webpage on the city's website still references Flowbird and says nothing about any changes.

Is there anyone out there a little more plugged in than I am who knows what's going on?


r/SALEM 1d ago

Does anyone know what happened

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46 Upvotes

Or how to find out what happened. I was woken in my apartment by Lee St by the police surrounding it and demanding someone come out. They ended up breaking the door down based on the wood board over it now


r/SALEM 1d ago

This is unusual…

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14 Upvotes

that’s a screenshot from pulse point of several units responding to a medical emergency at …the downtown fire station?!


r/SALEM 1d ago

Professional Comedy in Salem

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6 Upvotes

Tuesday! Professional comedians from Netflix, The Comedy Store, HBO and more right here in Salem! Get your tickets now before it's too late!

Tickets:

https://www.standupcomedyunderground.com/event-details-registration/salem-comedy-underground


r/SALEM 1d ago

hello fellow crafters, zone makers, and artists and musicians!

23 Upvotes

edit: ZINE makers lol

soooo I'm a mom who moved her from Eugene right before getting pregnant and having a baby and I'm looking to make new art friends in the area! i would love to meet up on Mon/ Tues (my days to go out into the world) and do art together or grab a drink and do it side by side~ I like painting, drawing, animation, gdevelop, making zines, notebooks, collage, and printmaking! also sewing and cross stitch. i have a bunch of stuff to do all that and would be happy to share~

i play bass, keys, and would love to make music with people, either in person or by sending stems to one another for tracks. I use Ableton. i love shoegaze and doomy stuff, but would really be happy playing whatever! i was in a couple bands a few years back and would love to do that again.

anyway~ I'm just a 35 year old gal trying to find her community and balance being a mom with being a human being. it's not easy, but it's so so important.

thanks for reading!!


r/SALEM 1d ago

EVENT The Cap City Comic Swap returns!

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7 Upvotes

Make plans to wrap up your summer with Salem's best comic book (and affiliated) marketplace! Cap City Comic Swap III arrives at the Holiday Inn Event Center on Market at I-5, on Saturday, August 22 from 11am to 4pm.

Come find a treasure or two, get a paper cut from the Dollar Boxes, and discover something new that might be your next big collecting adventure. Every attendee can sign up at the door to win a $25 gift card from Omega Frog Comics.

Vintage toys, fantasy authors and artists, VHS treasures, and comics, comics, comics!! Don't let the summer end without a day of air conditioned funny book immersion. See you there!