Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Keizertimes. (Salem, Or.) 1979-current | View Entire Issue (July 15, 2016)
SINCE 1979 • VOLUME 38, NO. 31 SECTION A JULY 15, 2016 $1.00 The Bard returns to Keizer Rapids By DEREK WILEY Of the Keizertimes Come to Keizer Homegrown Theatre’s production of Twelfth Night ready to laugh. “This show is a ridiculous romp,” Director Linda Baker said. “[William] Shakespeare didn’t take it very seriously, I think, so we’re not either.” Baker said the comedy comes from her cast. “Really what I have here is 23 people who are really nice people, really good Please see BARD, Page A7 KEIZERTIMES/Derek Wiley Jeff Minden, front, center, Peter Bale, Anthony O'Neal, Edward Stiner, Julianna Gibbons and Tyler Friedrickson act out a scene from Twelfth Night, to be performed by Keizer Homegrown Theater July 20-23. Mysterious death solved PAGE A2 ‘We need to have a grown-up conversation’ Mayor ready to tackle general fund increase % B Y T H E % Other Willamette Regional ESD % 40 Salem Area Mass Transit 19 14 13 6 5 % % Chemeketa Comm. College City of Keizer Fire District Please see TAX, Page A6 % MCFD – 15% KFD – 13% KEIZERTIMES/Andrew Jackson Marion County Salem-Keizer School District PROPERTY TAX DISTRIBUTION By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes Keizer Mayor Cathy Clark is interested in setting the stage for a larger conversation about increasing the city’s budget. While the specter of increased taxes or, in Keizer’s case, fees rankles those steadfastly opposed to the notion, the reality is that if the city residents want anything more than status quo services, they’re going to have to pay for it. “We have to have a grown-up conversation about money. Police and parks are the two things people talk about most and we don’t have the money for increased personnel or improvements,” Clark said. “We need to talk about what dollars we have, how we’re getting them and the options for making more available.” Keizer’s general fund 1 % 2 % N U M B 3 R S Offi cer cleared in shooting PAGE A3 Double-dipping robber arrested Earl Creemedicine By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes Keizer police have arrested a man be- lieved to have robbed One Stop Smoke Shop twice in recent months. How it happened involved more than a little good police work and fortunate timing. On Monday, July 11, Keizer Police Department offi cers responded to 3926 River Road North at 10:47 p.m. on a re- port of male suspect having entered the business armed with a gun and attempt- ing to gain access to the cash register. The owner had locked himself in a room at One Stop Smoke Shop and called police. The suspect was unable to open the cash register, but made off with a key be- longing to it. He fl ed the scene and of- fi cers searched the area, but were unable to locate him. KPD Det. Andrew Phelps, who had investigated a previous armed robbery at the business March 20, assisted patrol of- fi cers in processing the crime scene. While processing evidence, Phelps and Offi cer Kevin DeMarco had an opportu- nity to review video surveillance footage where they observed the suspect com- mitting the robbery. Phelps determined the suspect in both incidents had similar physical characteristics, clothing and gun. Additionally, Phelps had been working with investigators from the Salem Police Department and believed the suspect who was responsible for the March 20 robbery in Keizer may also be responsible for other armed robberies that had oc- curred in Salem. In at least one of those robberies, a witness provided a descrip- tion of a vehicle they believed the suspect fl ed in after that crime. While the investigation continued, KPD Sgt. Jeff Goodman was on patrol when at 12:40 a.m. when he spotted a vehicle believed to have been involved in at least one of the previous robberies that Song and drama at MHS PAGE A5 Please see ROBBER, Page A9 A GREEN MILE? E? Confl icting pot rules fl um mox By ERIC A. HOWALD Of the Keizertimes It's impossible to drive down River Road North in Keizer and not notice the signs. You know the ones: Kush, Oregon Bud Company, and the more nondescript Alpha Alternative Solutions, which has sign wavers posted on the side of the street from time to time. In 2014, Keizer residents rejected the legalization of recreational marijuana sales by a wide margin (53.75 percent against to 46.25 for), but the measure coasted to statewide approval. Now the shops are moving in and creating no shortage of headaches for Keizer's planning department. “The thing that's diffi cult to understand is that there are two paths to setting up shops, one for dispensaries and one for recreational sales. We're trying to adjust our rules and policies to refl ect the state's but the information has been slow to disseminate,” said Shane Witham, an associate planner with the city. More often than not, Witham said, the business owners looking to set up shop are well versed in the cur- rent state rules and approach the city question- ing why Please see GREEN, Page A9 KEIZERTIMES/Andrew Jackson Dream believer PAGE A10