Neighborhood News is a monthly Salem Reporter feature to highlight news or issues of concern to each Salem neighborhood association. Read previous editions here. Salem is divided into 17 neighborhood associations that meet monthly. They serve as a conduit to city officials for things like park i mprovements, road projects and planning and building. Learn more and find your association here. Leaders of each association are invited to submit a brief news item or report highlighting the association’s work, neighborhood concerns, upcoming activities or anything else of interest. Submissions are lightly edited for style and clarity. Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization Save the date! Join us and our neighbors in SCAN on Saturday, April 25, at 1 p.m. for a short loop from Pringle Park to the planned Pringle Creek Path project site and back! We will start at Pringle Community Hall, 606 Church St. S.E. Promoting neighborhood connections, community, and walkability. All are welcome. Our monthly meeting will be Tuesday, April 21, 6 p.m. at the Neighbor to Neighbor Office (347 Union St. N.E.) and on Zoom. Connect with our city councilors, stay up-to-date on a grant opportunity for parks in our neighborhood, and more.  If you live, work, or own property in downtown Salem, you are a member of CANDO and are welcome to attend. For more information, follow CANDO on our Facebook Page, or contact us at [email protected]. –Submitted by Spencer Rosenau, chair Grant Neighborhood Association Thursday, May 7, will be our once-a-year General Meeting — including snacks! On the agenda are bylaw changes and an update on the exciting Cannery development project. We meet at Broadway Commons, 6:15 p.m. with an informal meet greet at 5:45 p.m. See website for remote Zoom link. ALL WELCOME!  From our new Disability Committee Chair Kendra Schaber: As spring is full in the air, the flowers bloom, birds sing, and my Spanish soars to new heights, I am excited to have the opportunity to improve my neighborhood, especially for persons with disabilities. At our April Grant Neighborhood Association meeting, I proposed that there be an Accessibility Committee to explore ways to improve access to the neighborhood for all persons with disabilities, starting in our digital space and expanding out to our physical space. As persons with disabilities live our lives, we often encounter special roadblocks that often slow us down, stop our show completely, or block us from the information that should be free for all. This newly formed committee will inevitably play Whack-a-Mole to keep up with and adapt to our ever-changing environment and technologies that pose new opportunities and challenges for all of us. I hope that other neighborhood associations consider similar committees to improve their neighborhoods for persons with disabilities! Find detailed minutes on the city site and in the monthly GNA newsletter and on the GNA website. Zoom link is also posted there. Follow us on Instagram and  Facebook. Contact us [email protected]. –Submitted by Susan Napack, outreach and communications chair Highland Neighborhood Association The Highland Neighborhood Association clothing swap was held Saturday, April 11, at Center 50+. (HIGHLAND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION photo) The Highland Neighborhood Association recently hosted a highly successful Children’s Clothing Swap, welcoming nearly 200 attendees from across Salem. The event provided families with free access to gently used children’s clothing while also offering an opportunity to donate items their children have outgrown. The effort helped reduce waste and support a more sustainable approach to meeting everyday needs. HNA extends its sincere appreciation to community partners, including Center 50+ and Circular Salem, whose collaboration and support were instrumental in making the event possible . HNA continues to host its monthly Highland Peace Walk, held on the fourth Saturday of each month at 4 p.m. On Friday, April 24, participants will meet at Highland Park and walk together through the neighborhood, promoting connection and safety while also helping pick up litter along the route. Looking ahead, HNA will host its third annual Citywide Garage Sale Day on Saturday, June 6, inviting residents to participate by hosting sales at their homes. A shared online map will help shoppers easily locate participating households. Want to be included on the map? Fill out the participation form here. Lastly, planning is underway for the Highland Neighborhood Association’s 50th anniversary celebration in partnership with the Grant Neighborhood Association. Community members interested in helping organize this milestone event are encouraged to reach out at [email protected]. –Submitted by Ryan Erikson-Kulas, chair North East Salem Community Association Please join your NESCA, East Lancaster Neighborhood Association, and Northeast Neighbors for a Candidate Forum TODAY – Tuesday, April 14, from 6-7:30 p.m. We will be joined by the city council candidates for Wards 2 and 6, as well as one of the two mayoral candidates. The forum will be available to attend both in-person at the Jory Apartments (main office building), and online here. As a reminder, here are the websites for each candidate for these positions. Please take a moment to learn more about them! Ward 2 candidates Manny Martinez Linda Nishioka (Incumbent) Ward 6 candidates Mai Vang (incumbent) Betsy Vega  Mayoral candidates Julie Hoy (incumbent) Vanessa Nordyke (current Ward 7 city councilor) –Submitted by Stacey Vieyra-Braendle, chair South Central Association of Neighbors SCAN neighbors: mark your calendars for a nature walk on Saturday, April 25, at 1 p.m. We will be meeting up with neighbors from the Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization (CANDO) at Pringle Community Hall (606 Church St. S.E.), then walk over to the planned Pringle Creek Path project site and back. Learn more about the project on the city of Salem’s website. Now that it’s spring, we invite SCAN neighbors to send us pictures of garden blooms so we can feature them on our social media pages! Send them to us on social media at the pages below! We also encourage you to save the date for our May meeting. SCAN meetings take place on the second Wednesday of the month. Follow us on Instagram @scansalemofficial and on Facebook at Facebook.com/salemscan to see meeting agendas and learn about events happening in South Central Salem. – Submitted by Alma Whalen, SCAN neighbor Southwest Association of Neighbors Come and help SWAN and city volunteers beautify our local parks.Upcoming April work days in SWAN parks:Monday, April 20, 10am-12pm: Bonham Corner (corner of King and Bonham)Monday, April 27, 9am-12pm: Pioneer Cemetery For more information about Bonham Corner, contact Karen Freeman: [email protected]. For more information about Pioneer Cemetery, contact Amanda Sitter at [email protected]. -Submitted by Debbie Miller, board member STORY TIP OR IDEA? Send an email to Salem Reporter’s news team: [email protected]. A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE. The post NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS: What’s happening across Salem in April appeared first on Salem Reporter. ...read more read less