Marion County Dog Services Celebrates 20 Years With Community Open House - 10/15/26

SALEM, OR — Marion County Dog Services will celebrate the 20^th anniversary of its current shelter with a community open house on Saturday, October 24^th, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 3550 Aumsville Hwy SE, Salem, OR 97317.

Community members are invited to visit the shelter, learn more about its work, meet staff and volunteers, and participate in anniversary activities throughout the day.

The anniversary program will take place from noon to 1:00 p.m. and will include remarks, recognition of Dog Services staff and volunteers, fun facts about the shelter, and anniversary cake. Activities throughout the day will include guided shelter tours, a dog training demonstration, a dog costume parade featuring shelter dogs, a dog play group demonstration, and opportunities to talk with shelter and foster volunteers. Attendees can also participate in a raffle basket fundraiser to support Marion County Dog Services.

“Over the past 20 years, Marion County Dog Services has helped keep our communities safe while providing care for lost and stray dogs and helping reunite them with their families,” said Marion County Commissioner Colm Willis, Chair. “This anniversary is an opportunity to recognize the staff, volunteers, rescue partners, and community members who support this important work and help dogs return home or find safe, loving homes.”

“Our staff sees every day how much this work matters – to the dogs in our care, the families searching for a lost pet, and the residents who rely on us to respond when there is a safety concern,” said Marion County Dog Services Shelter Manager Lauren Thielke. “We are proud of the care our team provides and incredibly grateful for the volunteers and community partners who help us give each dog the best possible outcome.”

Since the current shelter opened in 2006, more than 32,000 dogs have come through its doors. The anniversary celebration will recognize the staff, volunteers, rescue partners, adopters, and community members who have supported that work.

Marion County Dog Services is also seeking volunteers to support dogs in the shelter and help connect the program with the community. Volunteer opportunities include walking and socializing dogs, assisting with shelter operations and veterinary care, providing temporary foster homes, and helping with community events. Interested residents can apply at mcdogs.net and will receive a shelter tour, orientation, and training for their volunteer role.

The event is free and open to the public. For the safety of shelter dogs and guests, attendees should leave personal dogs at home; trained service animals are permitted. Free parking is available at the shelter, located at 3550 Aumsville Highway SE in Salem. Guests who need an accessibility accommodation should contact Marion County Dog Services in advance at 503-588-5233.

Event Details

What: Marion County Dog Services 20^th Anniversary Celebration
 

When: Saturday, October 24, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
 

Main Anniversary Program: Noon-1:00 p.m.
 

Where: Marion County Dog Shelter - 3550 Aumsville Hwy SE, Salem, OR 97317
 

Cost: Free
 

More Information: Marion County Dog Services – 503-588-5233 – mcdogs.net

Marion County Makes Its Case In Federal Court To Stop Detroit Lake Drawdown - 10/06/26

SALEM, OR — A coalition of Marion County, the City of Salem, the City of Stayton, and the Santiam Water Control District made their case in federal court today, asking the U.S. District Court to halt the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ plan to drain Detroit Lake below its minimum conservation pool this fall. Their arguments centered around concerns of harm to water for drinking, firefighting, and agriculture for more than 220,000 downstream residents. After hearing arguments from all sides, U.S. District Judge Mustafa T. Kasubhai took the matter under advisement and is expected to issue a ruling in the coming weeks.

“We made our case today, and we made it clearly: the Army Corps is moving forward with a catastrophic plan without safeguards for the people who depend on this water,” said Commissioner Colm Willis, Chair. “Whatever the outcome, we will keep using every tool available to protect our residents, our water, and our local economy.”

Marion County will provide an update once the Court issues its decision.

Read the full release: www.marioncountynews.org/news/marion-county-makes-its-case-in-federal-court-to-stop-detroit-lake-drawdown

Commissioner Danielle Bethell Appointed To National Task Force On Youth Housing And Homelessness (Photo) - 10/01/26

SALEM, OR — This week, Commissioner Danielle Bethell was appointed to the National Association of Counties (NACo) Youth Housing and Homelessness Task Force. She is one of only 22 county officials nationwide selected to examine how counties can better support young people facing homelessness and housing instability across the country.

"I'm incredibly honored to be selected to be a part of this work," said Commissioner Bethell. “I look forward to working with county leaders from across the country, sharing about Marion County and Oregon, and bringing back ideas that will help us reach our local youth facing housing challenges."

More than 4.2 million youth and young adults experience homelessness in the U.S. each year. The task force is part of NACo’s Building Better Futures initiative.

"During my decades of public service, I have seen firsthand the multifaceted evolving challenges facing our youth," said NACo President George Dunlap. "Through this task force, we will have a unique chance to diagnose emerging concerns and align proven strategies, especially as it pertains to addressing youth housing instability and homelessness."

The task force will meet from October 2026 through July 2027 and will conclude its work at the 2027 NACo Annual Conference.

U.S. Army Corps Tries To Hide Analysis For Risky Decision To Drain Lake From The Court, Marion County, And The Public - 09/29/26

SALEM, OR — In the ongoing lawsuit Marion County filed against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to stop the draining of Detroit Lake, the Army Corps made an astounding claim: That their administrative record, which is the foundation of their review and decision to drain the lake, shouldn’t be seen by the Court or Marion County before the judge determines whether they can move forward with their potentially catastrophic plan this fall. The Army Corps is also trying to avoid answering questions on basic issues in the case.

Marion County has objected to the Army Corps’ effort to avoid transparency.

“Marion County allowed Federal Defendants to defer their responses to most document requests,” a response from County Counsel to the Court stated. “The County only requested the administrative record related to the decision to perform a deep drawdown at Detroit Lake (RFP Request No. 2) and responses to requested admissions.

“Federal Defendants’ emphasis on the importance of the administrative record undermines their claim that they do not need to provide it to plaintiffs and the Court. Given that this is the foundational document or set of documents for this case, it is eminently reasonable to request this.”

“It’s surprising to me that the Army Corps’ best defense for their own plan to drain the lake is to hide their own analysis and reasoning for draining the lake,” said Commissioner Kevin Cameron. “To go before a judge and ask them to agree to your arguments while hiding your own analysis is patently absurd and further shows that the Army Corps doesn’t trust their own decision.”

The Court will consider arguments regarding this issue at the next hearing in the case, which is October 6, 2026.

“If Federal Defendants are confident they made the correct decision, then they should not fear transparency on how they reached their decision,” the County’s response said.

Background

Marion County filed a lawsuit on May 13, 2026, asking the United States District Court to order the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to pause efforts to drain Detroit Lake until the Army Corps completes the turbidity report required by federal law and allows informed public comments. Congress required the Army Corps to evaluate lessons learned from turbidity problems caused by a similar draining of nearby Green Peter Lake, but the Army Corps was over four months past the legal deadline.

On August 11, 2026, Marion County filed a motion outlining the many ways federal defendants violated the law in adopting their new policy of annual deep drawdowns of Detroit Lake. This new policy will devastate canyon communities, endanger drinking water for over 230,000 people living downstream, and even jeopardize the very fish it claims to be trying to save.

Catastrophic Damage from Similar Drawdown at Green Peter Lake

In 2023, a court order forced similar deep drawdowns at nearby Green Peter Lake due to a lawsuit from an environmental group. This killed thousands of salmon and caused massive increases in turbidity that harmed downstream water systems.

Photo Credit: Brian Stone Photography LLC; explanatory text added by public commenter who submitted it during SEIS process.

The new policy of annual deep drawdowns would drain the lake below its minimum conservation pool—to its lowest historic level in the first year and to even deeper untested low levels each fall in following years. Dropping water levels in this manner disturbs fine sediment on the lake bottom and causes turbidity (dirty water), which harms all fish and municipal water systems downstream. There would also be water shortages if there is low rain that prevents refill, hurting cities and agriculture. The damage that was caused by the deep drawdown of Green Peter shows a deep drawdown of Detroit could also kill much of a lake’s fish population. All this would harm the tourism-based economy of the local community.

“Risking the drinking water of our communities while harming thousands of fish is patently absurd” said Commissioner Willis. “Since the Army Corps refused to listen to reasonable requests from the county, cities, and schools, this lawsuit is the strongest means we have to protect our downstream communities as well as recreation at Detroit Lake”

The Army Corps’ own analysis found that the level of low rain that causes water shortages when combined with a deep drawdown occurs one out of every four years. This year will almost certainly be one of those years. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting an “81% chance of a very strong El Niño during October-December of 2026 that would rank among the largest El Niño events in the historical record going back to 1950” and “a 97% chance” that El Niño conditions “will persist through early spring 2027.”

“Our residents depend on clean, reliable drinking water,” said Commissioner Kevin Cameron. “The Army Corps should not be gambling with the safety of drinking water in our community.”

“Water management must be grounded in data-backed science with meaningful protections in place for our communities,” said Commissioner Danielle Bethell. “The Army Corps is defying common sense and has not committed to any meaningful safeguards, which is why we will continue this fight to protect our residents from the Army Corps’ devastating policies.”

Tentative Agreement Reached, Union Cancels Strike - 09/22/26

SALEM, OR — Marion County and the Marion County Employees Association (MCEA/SEIU) reached a tentative agreement as of Monday evening September 21, 2026, with the union cancelling a strike that had been set to begin Tuesday morning.

The tentative agreement effectively accepted the County’s final offer, which was implemented September 13, 2026, and both parties agreed to negotiate health insurance contributions for 2028 in a 30-day bargaining window beginning June 15, 2027.

The tentative agreement is subject to a vote by MCEA/SEIU membership and the Board of Commissioners before it becomes official.

County services will continue as normal and without interruption.