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APPEAL TRIBUNE
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2017
Life in the
Valley y
sanews@salem.gannett.com
A New Year, a new hike
Oregon Parks, Recreation Dept. offering free guided First Day Hikes
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is offering First Day Hikes in state parks across Oregon on New Year's Day. ZACH URNESS/STATESMAN JOURNAL
LEE CLARKSON
SALEM STATESMAN JOURNAL
USA TODAY NETWORK
The Oregon Parks and Recreation
Department is offering free guided
First Day Hikes in state parks across
Oregon on New Year’s Day.
Parking fees also will be waived on
Jan. 1.
Among the 24 hikes and activities
statewide, there are three offerings
within a short drive from the Mid-Val-
ley. Here is a listing of area hikes:
State Capitol State Park
Address: 155 Waverly St. NE, Salem
Time: 10 a.m.
Starting location: Oregon State
Capitol steps
Details: Easy 1-mile hike through
Willson Park and Capitol Park. The hike
is recommended for children at least 6
years old. No dogs allowed.
Information: 503-393-1172
Silver Falls State Park
Address: 20024 Silver Falls Highway
SE, Sublimity
Time: 10 a.m.
Starting location: South Falls Lodge
porch
Details: Moderate 3-mile hike on the
Maple Ridge Trail and Canyon Trail.
Due to terrain, strollers are not recom-
mended. Icy conditions are possible.
Dogs are not allowed on the trails.
Information: 503-873-8681
Champoeg State Heritage Area
Address: Champoeg State Heritage
Area, St. Paul
Time: Two hikes, one at 10 a.m. and
the other at 2:30 p.m.
Starting location: Champoeg Visitor
Center
Details: Easy to moderate 2-mile
hike on the Town Site Trail. The trail
includes some uneven terrain and natu-
ral soil surface. Dogs allowed if on a
6-foot leash.
Information: 503-678-1251, Ext. 222
All hikes are free. Online registra-
tion is optional at the below link, but it
will help park staff plan for the hikes
and provide them with participant con-
tact information should details change.
Participants are encouraged to dress
in layers, wear sturdy shoes and bring
water and a camera or binoculars for
wildlife viewing.
For a full list of First Day Hikes
statewide and to register, go to
store.oregonstateparks.org and click on
tours/events.
Police forces rev up DUI patrols for holiday season
WHITNEY WOODWORTH
SALEM STATESMAN JOURNAL
USA TODAY NETWORK
Almost 450 people died on Oregon
roads in 2015. According to state offi-
cials, 82 percent of drivers involved in
those crashes had a measurable blood-al-
cohol concentration.
As the holidays — and the booze-filled
festivities frequently associated with
them — loom closer, local law enforce-
ment agencies are stepping up their DUI
patrols.
Several fatal DUI crashes hit the mid-
Willamette Valley in 2017, including a
collision north of Salem that killed a
mother and four young children, a re-
cent crash near Keizer that left a Salem
teen dead and a tree-versus-car crash on
Mission Street.
Starting this week, 20 extra Oregon
State Police troopers will patrol high-
ways stretching from Albany to Portland
and from the coast to the Cascade passes,
said Oregon State Police Lt. Bob Char-
pentier.
"We want to really make a statement
at the front end of the holiday season," he
said. "Our goal is to have the lights on as
much as possible and do everything we
can to prevent fatal crashes."
Charpentier said troopers will be
looking for the "fatal five" driver mis-
takes: speeding, not using safety re-
straints, careless or reckless driving, in-
toxicated driving and distracted driving.
Keizer police added extra patrols on
Dec. 15. About $5,000 in grants paid for
the extra deployment of traffic officers,
which will run through the New Years'
holiday.
Last year's extra patrols led to five
DUI arrests and one felony service war-
rant. Keizer police said they expect the
legalization of marijuana only exacer-
bates the deadly trend of driving while
intoxicated.
After partnering with Oregon Impact
during the 2016 holiday season, the Sa-
lem Police Department is again partici-
pating in the statewide law enforcement
campaign to focus on drivers under the
influence.
Salem officers nabbed 29 DUI offend-
ers from Dec. 20, 2016, to Jan. 9, 2017.
"The goal of the statewide campaign is
to reduce the number of motor vehicle-
related deaths and injuries by increasing
public awareness of driving under the in-
fluence of intoxicants ... during the busy
holiday season," Salem police Lt. Dave
Okada said.
The department launched the first of
many "high visibility" campaigns mid-
December. Extra patrols will continue
through Jan. 6.
Polk County Sheriff Mark Garton said
extra patrols funded by an Oregon De-
partment of Transportation grant were
added on Thanksgiving. Additional dep-
uties will also be out on Christmas and
New Year's Eve.
Between the pre-Thanksgiving holi-
day and New Years last year, Polk Coun-
ty deputies arrested 17 people on DUI
charges. This year, the department had
already reported 14 DUI arrests be-
tween Thanksgiving and Dec. 15.
More people are on the road around
Christmas. At the same time, calls for
service often increase, Garton said.
Having a deputy work overtime to target
intoxicated drivers allows other depu-
ties to focus on responding to crimes and
calls for service, he said.
Marion County began its overtime pa-
trols Dec. 14 and will continue them into
January. Deputies working overtime ar-
rested six people in December 2016. This
year, they've already arrested seven
people, said Marion County Sheriff's
spokesman Lt. Chris Baldridge.
On Saturday, Baldridge said Justin
Coakley, 21, was arrested on manslaugh-
ter charges for allegedly driving while
intoxicating during an early morning
crash that killed a Salem teen and in-
jured another woman.
"With the holiday season fast ap-
proaching, this morning's incident is a
tragic reminder to always drive sober,"
he said.
For questions, comments and news
tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth
at
wmwoodwort@statesmanjour-
nal.com, call 503-399-6884 or follow on
Twitter @wmwoodworth
How to prevent
drunk driving
uPick a designated driver
uIf throwing a party, be sure to serve
non-alcoholic drinks and snacks, don’t
pressure guests to drink and ensure
intoxicated guests don’t get behind the
wheel.
uUse public transportation, call a taxi or use a
rail-hailing service if no designated drivers are
available.
uReport intoxicated drivers
uIf you spot a driver you think is under the
influence of drugs or alcohol, call 911 within
city limits or call 800-243-7865.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration/Oregon Department of
Transportation
Top-rated taxi services available in the
mid-Willamette Valley
1
Willamette Valley Yellow Cab 503-362-2411
2
Amanda’s Taxi 503-559-2200
3
Around Towne Taxi 503-371-3664
Source: Yelp
Ride-hailing services available in Salem
1
Uber
2
Lyft