beating South Salem 15-0 and winning 25-0 at Sprague in Central Valley Conference games Freshman Addison Lowery hit a home run and drove in six in the win over the Olympians for West Salem which improved to 3-0 in conference play and to 13-5 overall beating out the Grant boys track and field team The Sandy baseball team was third with 18.18% and the South Medford boys golf team was fourth with 9.09% We are accepting Oregon Team of the Week nominations To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App DAN BROODDan Brood who might be the very last of the straight-on place-kickers has been covering high school sports in Oregon for more than 30 years winning multiple awards for writing and photography He started working with SBLive Sports in 2021 © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER this year's version of West Salem softball looks awfully similar to last year's version 6 in the latest Class 6A coaches poll and are once again the class of the Central Valley Conference They slugged their way to a 13-3 win over win over No 10 McNary on April 30 to take a commanding lead in the league title race West's all-state trio of junior center fielder Kali Parks senior shortstop Mya Ward and senior pitcher Braeli Martin are doing plenty of heavy lifting atop the batting order and in the field a slightly less obvious factor has helped the Titans go from good to great: Their stars have developed from 'up-and-comers' to veteran leaders who set the tone "We have six returners and we have three players on the field who have never played higher than junior varsity I told Mya and Braeli at the start of the year 'We're only going to be as good as our weakest links We need to help make (West's young players) better,'" West Salem coach Ty Nicholson because we need them to help the team get better.' And (Martin and Ward) realize that Last week's showdown between the Titans and Celtics was a pivotal one for both teams which is in the midst of its own strong season had a chance to swing the momentum of the CVC title race then poured on five runs in the fifth inning to trigger the run rule in a 13-3 victory because (the Celtics) are a good team energy-wise," Ward said The first inning gave us a lot of confidence to keep going." who earned second-team all-state honors for her work in the pitching circle last season is also one of the top sluggers in the state She admits that she began the year in a slump But her bat has woken up at the perfect time for the Titans "I've been focusing on driving through the ball instead of trying to lift it every time," Martin said We do a lot of tee work to help flatten out the ball I feel like it's helped our team overall with getting contact Heading into last week, Ward ranked third in the state with 34 RBIs on the year and was tied for fifth with six home runs is capable of hurting opponents in a variety of ways "I'm happy with my ability to be a diverse hitter," Parks said of how her game has improved since last season "I'm able to hit line drives and bring runners in but also play small ball and lay bunts down and get runners going." The Titans followed up their big win over their Celtics with a 15-1 victory over South Salem two days later to maintain their two-game lead in the league standings led by junior all-state shortstop Natalie Macik is in the midst of its own strong season after reaching the 6A quarterfinals in 2024 3-2) are still pushing for more after dropping two games to West Salem in a span of 12 days "(Last year's postseason run) is a huge part of it for confidence," Brewer said of her team's mentality We preach that we don't want to be playing our best ball right now The time to play our best ball is the end of the season for the playoffs We'll learn from (the losses to the Titans) Young players stepping up for West SalemWhile West Salem's star players have been hitting at a scorching clip lately the Titans wouldn't be where they are this spring without contributions up and down the order sophomore Makaeli Martin and junior Olivia Nunez all stepped in early in the year to help the Titans overcome injuries and the departures of several starters from last year's team Nunez has locked down West Salem's starting catcher role and entrenched herself as the team's cleanup hitter "(Courtney Gills) would have been our catcher but she broke her foot and had surgery in January (Nunez) hits a home run every once in a while but she just drives the ball so consistently." Both Nicholson and West Salem's players noted that the team needs to do a better job of keeping their foot on the gas after taking an early lead 4 McMinnville and close-fought losses to No 5 North Medford instilled the Titans with plenty of confidence that has carried over to league play "It took us a while to get our lineup where we wanted it," Nicholson said "But now I feel like we can do anything at any part of the lineup playing third baseman and (Ward) constantly coaching her 'What you're getting from Mya right now is priceless.' Sometimes you get good players who aren't leaders like that who don't want to coach others up on the field Jarrid Denney covers high school sports and Oregon State for the Statesman Journal. He can be reached at JDenney@salem.gannett.com or on X @jarrid_denney It was a beautiful day in downtown Portland on Saturday and the only thing nicer than the sun rays outside was the music being played at Portland State University for the 2025 OSAA/OnPoint Community Credit Union State Solo Music Championships Hundreds of students from across the state descended upon PSU's Lincoln Hall to put their musical talents on full display in pursuit of a state championship West Salem led the way with wins in four categories while West Linn followed with three of its own West Salem's Dante Caballero had a standout day winning both the High Saxophone and Low Saxophone categories But Caballero wasn't the only musician to take home multiple first place medals as Liam Andrews of Mountainside took the title in both Orchestral Snare Drum and Timpani 18 different schools claimed a winner over 26 categories in total The winners of each category are below, with a full list of results available here Rudimental Snare Drum: Jeramyah Acosta A Wayne County first responder died Friday night while assisting at the scene of a disabled vehicle on Stratton Road in Congress Township Paul Charles Mickolick of the Town & Country Fire District in West Salem and another man were hit by a Cadillac CTS Mickolick and Tylor James Green of West Salem were taken to Cleveland Clinic Lodi Hospital was taken by medical helicopter to Akron General Hospital for treatment of serious injuries according to a release from the Wooster Post of the State Highway Patrol the post received a report that a F-150 Ford pickup was stuck in a ditch while leaving a private field on the left side of Stratton Road Mickolick arrived at the scene in a personal vehicle parking on the west side of the road near the F-150 A short time later the patrol was notified of a two-vehicle crash at the same location where the Cadillac being drriven southbound on Stratton Road by a 64-year-old West Salem man had driven off the side of the road into the ditch Mickolick and Green were taken to the Lodi hospital by Town & Country Fire and EMS Mickolick worked as a flight paramedic with the Cleveland Clinic before joining Town & County Fire District as a full-time firefighter paramedic in 2022 Assisting on scene were the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office Lodi Fire and EMS and Bear’s Towing and Repair and Kiara Guinto attend the West Salem Prom at Willamette Heritage Center on April 26 in Salem Students dance during West Salem High School's prom at Willamette Heritage Center on April 26 West Salem High School students attend prom at Willamette Heritage Center on April 26 places a Burmese python on Jacob Arana-Scott during West Salem High School's prom on April 26 at Willamette Heritage Center holds an African spurred tortoise during West Salem High School's prom while he hold an American alligator during West Salem High School's prom at Willamette Heritage Center Volunteer Vicky Haws helps West Salem High School students vote for prom king and queen at Willamette Heritage Center on April 26 Gerardo Garibayand Coco Maurer attend West Salem High School's prom at Willamette Heritage Center on April 26 Students get drinks during West Salem High School's prom at Willamette Heritage Center Students attend West Salem High School's prom and Hunter Stephenson attend West Salem High School's prom at Willamette Heritage Center on April 26 Students dance during West Salem High School's prom dances the night away during West Salem High School's prom at Willamette Heritage Center Students dance during West Salem High School's prom West Salem High School students dance during their prom at Willamette Heritage Center on April 26 The funeral service for Lt. Paul Charles Mickolick a firefighter-paramedic with the Town & Country Fire District Mickolick died last week after being struck by a car while helping a stranded vehicle along Stratton Road in Congress Township A processional of fire department units will follow the funeral escorting Mickolick to a graveside memorial at West Salem Cemetery Mickolick was one of two people struck by a passing vehicle Friday night as he helped a driver whose pickup truck was stuck in a ditch in Congress Township according to a report from the Wooster Post of the State Highway Patrol Mickolick’s death marks the loss of a devoted first responder who served his community in multiple roles during his career He graduated from Olmsted Falls High School in 2000 and earned an associate degree in paramedicine from Cuyahoga Community College in 2003 The credentials paved the way for a career in emergency medical service and firefighting Mickolick embarked on a 16-year career as a flight paramedic with the Cleveland Clinic providing care transport to patients across the region he brought his expertise to West Salem's Town & Country Fire District where he served as a firefighter/paramedic for the past five years He joined the department full-time in 2022 and rose to the rank of lieutenant During his tenure at Town & Country he earned state certifications as a fire instructor and fire safety inspector he received the department’s annual award for responding to the most emergency calls that year surpassing the call volume record previously held by Chief Adam Hory Mickolick was known as an adventurous family man with a wide range of interests He loved spending time with his family on trips to destinations such as Walt Disney World as well as outings closer to home like Cedar Point he enjoyed snow skiing during the winter months.Mickolick was a devoted Cleveland sports fan and he indulged his love of music by attending as many Dave Matthews Band concerts as he could Hory said Mickolick’s impact on the community will endure long after his tragic death a brother and a true hero … his deep-rooted dedication to this community will never be forgotten,” Hory said in a release “We will honor his legacy by continuing to serve with the same bravery and compassion he showed every day.” which described Mickolick’s commitment to the safety and well-being of others as “evident in every aspect of his service,” lauded his courage integrity and selflessness both on and off duty the fire department suggested ways for the public to contribute to Mickolick’s family Donations can be made out to his wife by being dropped off at the Town & Country fire station or mailed to PO Box 175 An online fundraising page has been established to assist the family A 16-year-old boy from Salem was arrested over allegations he fired a semiautomatic gun in the afternoon of April 29 in a residential neighborhood in West Salem Salem Police did not identify the teenager They said the boy was arrested and is in custody of Yamhill County’s juvenile division Police did not say what the boy was charged with Several people called police at about 4:45 p.m April 29 after hearing an unidentified number of gun shots The area around the intersection of Elm Street and Kingwood Avenue was closed for about an hour while police searched for the suspect Police used a search dog to find the teenager in a home in the 1300 block of Elm Street Police also seized the semiautomatic rifle Bill Poehler covers Marion and Polk County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@StatesmanJournal.com Corrections & Clarifications: Micah Blacksmith reported that her employer would not allow her to quit after the crash An Independence woman who turned herself in more than a month after a December 2024 fatal hit-and-run in West Salem was sentenced April 15 in Polk County Circuit Court to three years of supervised probation Micah Lee Blacksmith, 37, was charged Feb. 3 with failure to perform duties of a driver to seriously injured persons for the crash that killed 63-year-old Steven Craig Bishop of Salem on Dec Salem Police said they responded at about 8:30 p.m to a call of an injured person near Murlark Avenue and Edgewater Street Northwest Bishop was treated by paramedics but died at the scene Prosecutor Kaylee Hudson said two people driving by stopped when they saw Bishop in the middle of the street and his face was so swollen it didn't look human Hudson said there's no way to know if Bishop could have survived if Blacksmith had stayed and called emergency services Blacksmith was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee at the time of the crash She appeared emotional throughout the proceedings "Nothing will bring Steve back to me," Davis said "You left him there on the side of the road to die." Hudson asked Judge Norman Hill to impose a sentence of 20 months in prison the maximum within the sentencing guidelines asked the judge to instead impose three years of supervised probation with mental health treatment and community service His request was based on a report from a probation evaluator that found a lifetime of trauma had caused Blacksmith to experience disassociation and have difficulty identifying what is real she made a really poor decision," Knodell said that affects their judgment and decision-making," Knodell said Hill found that argument unconvincing but found compelling cause to depart from the sentencing guidelines citing Blacksmith's many years living in the community without a conviction "This is a challenging case to decide on," Hill said He said the mental health issues described in the report merited consideration but didn't account for the choice Blacksmith made to leave Hudson then asked Hill to consider imposing jail time Blacksmith's driver's license will be suspended for five years and she will be ordered to complete 80 hours of community service Davis said after the sentencing she wasn't happy with Hill's decision and was frustrated by Blacksmith's "list of excuses." how the heck is she going to learn anything?" Davis said Davis said she and Bishop were close as kids but he had started rebelling as a teenager and wouldn't let her help him "We were always together when we were little." She said he was "your typical brother," smart "When I was sunburned and my skin was peeling in places I couldn't reach he peeled it off so I wouldn't itch," she said in an email he would get me on the scary rides and make them swing and tilt just to scare me more I wish it was as easy to find him when he was alive as when he was dead," Davis said Blacksmith told the probation evaluator she had just left Safeway where she'd been shopping for Christmas and New Year's and was on her way home when the crash happened She said it was dark and raining and there was no traffic and he was hunched over," she said in the report He was in dark clothes and standing in the middle of the street Blacksmith said she "blacked out" after hitting him and found herself at home Blacksmith said she struggles to differentiate between dreams and reality and is on medications for bipolar II disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder and drove back to see if the crash had really happened She reported hearing sirens and seeing first responders putting Bishop onto a stretcher Hudson said Blacksmith's detailed account of the evening undermined her claim that she blacked out or disassociated Blacksmith then drove to her mother's house I couldn’t drink water," she said in the report She said she left the scene of the crash because of fear She described herself as a cautious driver who is terrified of cars and drives "like a little old lady." she completed intensive outpatient treatment began attending a Dialectical Behavioral Therapy group and started meeting with a new therapist Blacksmith works as a manager at Paradise Island Park Her employer submitted a character reference on her behalf and Blacksmith reported they would not allow her to quit Blacksmith reported significant trauma and abuse throughout her life and a history of depression and anxiety The evaluator said Blacksmith was remorseful and concluded treatment was more likely to be effective in reducing the risk of recidivism than incarceration They said Blacksmith would benefit from continuing her current counseling family members and Blacksmith's boss submitted character references supporting her Blacksmith also submitted a letter to Bishop's friends and family expressing her remorse and grief "The memory of leaving Steven following the accident will forever haunt my heart and soul," she wrote "I’ve never known such remorse and sorrow for any shortcoming in my entire life." Isabel Funk covers breaking news and public safety for the Statesman Journal. Funk can be reached at ifunk@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @isabeldfunk Salem Police confirmed Monday the man killed in West Salem last week died in a hit-and-run near the intersection of Murlark Avenue NW and Edgewater Street NW The preliminary investigation done by the Salem Police Traffic Team found Bishop was struck by a vehicle that left the scene Video surveillance near the area where Bishop was found shows a car driving minutes before the call to police was received a white vehicle is traveling eastbound on Edgewater Street as it approaches Murlark Avenue Police said the vehicle appears to be a 2015 or 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Investigators are asking for the public’s help in finding the vehicle of interest anyone who knows the driver or anyone with information about the case to contact Traffic Team investigators at 503-588-8477 For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on X at @wmwoodworth (This story was updated to include new information) Salem Public Works crews repaired a 400-foot section of a broken sewer line — one of the main lines serving West Salem — overnight Friday and finished repairs on the other broken main Saturday evening The city is no longer asking West Salem residents to reduce water usage Due to the location of the sewer main breaks only West Salem residents were asked to reduce their water use A sewer main break reported around 4:30 p.m Thursday near Bowden Lane and Trent Avenue closed the 24-inch pressurized sewer main that transports wastewater to the Willow Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant Salem Public Works shut down the flow from the broken 24-inch main leaving only an adjacent 18-inch main for service for West Salem resulting in the closure of both sewer mains serving West Salem Wastewater was being diverted into open fields and the natural creek system leading to the Willamette River City officials said Friday evening they identified the damage to the two wastewater sewer mains and would have crews and outside contractors working overnight to repair 400 feet of the 18-inch sewer main removing and replacing a 400-foot section of corroded pipe south of the Willow Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant near Keizer The repaired 18-inch main resumed service Saturday morning The activation of the sewer main reduced pressure on the West Salem sewer system and reduced untreated wastewater outflows in the low-lying areas of West Salem near Glen Creek City officials warned residents to avoid all flooded areas north and east of Wallace Road NW and to avoid all creeks and the Willamette River in the area Signs are posted to warn residents to avoid these areas due to the potential for bacterial contamination Water quality samples are being taken until the results indicate the issue has been cleared Signs will be removed once the bacteria levels return to normal The Northwestern Ruritan Club met April 14 at Northwestern High School with one guest present The club voted to make a donation to Rails to Trails in Wayne County Wooster Elk Club donated to the Ruritan's community service projects and members agreed some of that money will go into the scholarship fund The Ruritans donated to Read Under the Lights at Northwestern Elementary School and the Mohican Church Grocery Bag Ministry Ten scholarship applications have been turned in by Northwestern High School seniors Nominations for the Outstanding Community Business Awards are in progress Members are asked to take package supplies to the May meeting The first Parade of Flags outing in the community will be Memorial Day weekend The West Salem Bicycle Race will be Saturday The Ruritans will help with traffic control Jerry Payn gave a program on the life of Maj he was fascinated with the telegraph and became the first Wooster telegraph operator When the Civil War broke out he joined the military and became chief in the War Department Telegraph Office After the war he became vice president and general manager of the Western Union Telegraph Co Scholarship winners and outstanding businesses will be introduced The director’s meeting will be at 5:30 p.m The Oregon Department of Transportation shared new details about the Center Street Bridge seismic retrofit at Monday night’s Salem City Council meeting Construction is now anticipated to start sometime next year, a change from prior estimates Bidding on the project is anticipated to start in late January 2026 with work starting in spring 2026 continuing into 2028 or 2029 ODOT is finalizing the design and getting necessary permits and right-of-way this year These pieces include working with the city on how to limit tree removal around the riverbanks and Riverfront Park and finishing environmental requirements The project has been split into two phases Most of the work will be addressed in the first phase which includes the main span and east approaches Planning will include how to best utilize the bridge if there is a significant seismic event before the west side ramps are completed during a second phase of construction An analysis conducted after funding was allocated found soil on the west approach was not a good option for a retrofit and would need to be replaced Traffic along Front Street is expected to be impacted with lane closures and utility work early next year Other changes to traffic on Center Street could come in 2027 or 2028 — likely through lane closures and two to four night closures of the bridge Lane closures are anticipated to last weeks and impact two lanes of traffic Public canvassing will take place later this week near Riverfront Park Signs and other methods will be used to inform the public of construction impacts as they get closer What is the purpose of the Center Street Bridge construction?The Center Street Bridge is one of two across the Willamette River that connects West Salem and Salem Neither of the bridges — which are used by a combined daily average of about 90,000 vehicles — are expected to be usable in the event of a significant earthquake the four-lane Center Street Bridge would be routed for two-way traffic allowing for westbound traffic currently served by the Marion Street Bridge The work on the first phase will improve the bridge piers while others will have additional supports added new modular expansion joints will be added The retrofit also will address a city waterline on the bridge one of three that brings water from the east side of the Willamette River into West Salem The city of Salem will pay for the waterline upgrades and has $7 million budgeted The second phase is currently unfunded and could cost an additional $130 million to $190 million Anastasia Mason covers state government for the Statesman Journal. Reach her at acmason@statesmanjournal.com or 971-208-5615 Heavy flows and corroded pipes caused two main sewer lines to burst in the days after Christmas — cutting off service to West Salem and causing 19.3 million gallons of sewage to overflow into nearby farm fields City and private construction crews worked around the clock for 53 hours in the rain to replace 700 feet of damaged pipes The city is expecting an invoice up to $150,000 from a private construction company the cost and extent of the overflow and what still needs to be done to prevent another break Timeline of the West Salem sewer line breaksA sewer main break reported around 4:30 p.m 26 closed the 24-inch pressurized sewer main that transports wastewater under the Willamette River to the Willow Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant wastewater was diverted into open fields and the natural creek system leading to the Willamette River West Salem residents were asked to reduce water use and avoid flooded areas near Wallace Road and Wallace Marine Park City officials said pipe corrosion caused by the buildup of hydrogen sulfide gas at the high points of the pipes triggered the breaks When hydrogen sulfide mixes with air at the high points of pipes The oxidant is highly corrosive to concrete and steel Both pipes were corroded in the same area because they were placed side-by-side at the same elevation Salem Public Works Director Brian Martin said the earth on top of the pipe was the only thing holding the corroded parts together Crews work around the clock to restore serviceMartin thanked city and Emery & Sons Construction crews for their dedication at the Salem City Council meeting on Monday "They took on a very difficult situation that happened the day after Christmas," Martin said People left their families visiting for the holidays Some stopped at home after all-day shifts to sleep six hours and return to work Emery & Sons Construction crews, which also aided the city during the Liberty Fire in 2023 not to mention all of our wonderful city employees who are also doing the same thing order replacements and install the new pipes in a manner of hours They replaced 350 feet of 18-inch pipe and 350 feet of 24-inch pipe Both mains were repaired in a little over 53 hours — an amazing feat Hertz Rentals and city staff from engineering Permanent repairs to be made in the summerCity officials said the fix is considered a temporary repair until staff can evaluate the line and make permanent repairs this summer The city is also exploring technologies to do a pipe condition survey to prevent similar situations from unfolding when heavy flows hit Salem Salem Public Works officials advised residents to avoid water in Glen Creek after an overflow Wednesday of 875 gallons of untreated sewage The overflow was caused by a line blockage and was reported at 9:05 p.m Public works crews cleared the blockage by midnight City officials said signs have been placed to warn residents to avoid water contact in Glen Creek due to potentially high levels of bacteria Any bacteria that entered the site should be flushed out of the creek in the next few days A separate overflow of 2,010 gallons of untreated sewage in Waln Creek was reported Sunday Residents can report overflowing manholes and spills to the Public Works Department Dispatch Center at 503-588-6311 City officials said sewer backups and overflows can be prevented by keeping sewers free of fats Rogue Ales & Spirits is returning to the Mid-Valley with a new public house location The new Rogue Public House will occupy the former Gilgamesh Brewing "The Woods" location This will be the sixth brewpub Rogue has opened since its founding in 1988 "We are excited to get back and connect the Newport coast across the state," Garrett said "We know fans visit us in the summer and are excited to have a spot to get to that doesn't have to make them drive an extra hour to get to." Garrett emphasized the goal of creating a community hub where families can enjoy meals and locals can unwind with a beer Plans are underway to partner with local organizations to provide toys and books for a kids' area Rogue operated a hop farm with a tasting room in Independence the brewery has been searching for a new Mid-Valley location securing this space within the last six months What will the public house serve?The Rogue Public House will feature 40 beers on tap including Salem-exclusive brews made with locally grown ingredients The distillery will also debut special bitters and a unique cocktail menu crafted specifically for this location The food menu will highlight dishes inspired by local ingredients sourced from purveyors like Rogue River Creamery A gift shop will offer Salem-exclusive merchandise As the official partner of the Portland Trail Blazers the public house will host game watch parties and other sports events Additional programming will include Pint Night fundraisers The interior design draws inspiration from the Valley’s natural beauty and installations showcasing Rogue’s history Rogue is partnering with local organizations to host month-long events and specials to introduce themselves to the community "It's a great homecoming and so exciting to come to the state's capital as a business that's been around for over 30 years," Caitlin Hopkins To stay up to date about the new location's opening, check out the Rogue Ales & Spirits website, rogue.com, Facebook and Instagram page, @rogueales Em Chan covers food and dining at the Statesman Journal. You can reach her at echan@gannett.com and follow her on X @catchuptoemily. Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInWEST SALEM, Wis. (WEAU) - A suspect is identified in an incident that occurred in West Salem According to an update from West Salem police West Salem police identified 59-year-old Paul Stokes as a suspect to the incident that occurred on Oct According to initial information of the incident from West Salem police West Salem police responded to 341 Jefferson Street East to assist a male whose throat had been cut by another male who then fled the scene in a semi-truck According to the updated information from West Salem police the investigation showed Stokes missed a load delivery in Geona and fled with his semi-truck and trailer out of state an arrest warrant was issued for Stokes on the suspicion of 2nd degree recklessly endangering safety use of a dangerous weapon and substantial battery use of a dangerous weapon that day West Salem police found Stokes traveling southbound along US Highway 45 near Hickory authorities found Stokes’ semi-truck and trailer traveling southbound on state Highway 22 near Dresden Stokes is awaiting extradition within the Weakley County Detention Center Burial will follow in Little Wabash Cemetery 2025 at Saint Anthony’s Hospice in Henderson His parents were William Pete and Virgie (Luthe) Deischer Bob was a lifelong member of the Little Wabash United Methodist Church in rural West Salem IL; serving as a trustee and in other leadership roles for many years Bob held many jobs during his young life from farming to being one of the six original Edwards County Sherriff’s Police Deputies Bob was the last one remaining of the original six deputies While being a deputy was his favorite job of all time he hung up his gun so that he would not miss seeing his son’s baseball and basketball games Bob took the position of school janitor for West Salem Grade School The two would work together for 21 years before both retired in 1995 looking for morel mushrooms and searching for arrowheads and other Indian relics He also enjoyed camping with his family and friends and maintaining a huge garden he and his wife enjoyed traveling to visit with his son and his family He was constantly tinkering with things around the house Bob is survived by his son David and his wife Julie of Cary He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years Visitation for Robert Deischer will be held on Friday at Ingram Meridith Funeral Home in West Salem memorials can be made to the Little Wabash Cemetery Ingram Meridith Funeral Home of West Salem Condolences are reviewed and published within 24 hours I remember Bob from my days as a student at West Salem grade school He was always helpful to both the students and staff and always helped make our school feel special My thoughts and prayers go out to all of his family and friends © 2025. Meridith Funeral Home, P.C. All rights reserved. Login Design: Serpentine A staff member at West Salem High School was placed on paid administrative leave after a physical altercation with a student Monday West Salem Principal Carlos Ruiz said the fight broke out during lunch and nearby staff members deescalated the situation according to an email to families and shared with the Statesman Journal by district spokesperson Aaron Harada Harada said in an email the district is still investigating the incident Standard protocol dictates the staff member be placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation Salem Police spokesperson Angela Hedrick said police did not respond to the altercation and it is not being investigated as a criminal matter Salem Reporter first reported the incident is recovering after a break-in last month that left the family-run business shaken there was money all over the floor,” Kimberly Hill who has worked at the restaurant with her family since her parents purchased it Surveillance footage captured the suspect breaking in through a window “They looked everywhere we leave or hide money." The suspect stole hundreds of dollars from the register The theft hit especially hard as Hill’s mother now runs the restaurant alone following the death of Hill’s father “It’s something mom’s trying to keep going Sergeant Timothy Nowlin with the West Salem Police Department said crimes like this are rare in the area “This was the first one reported like this in quite a while,” Nowlin said Surveillance footage also showed another person near Heavenly Delight Police believe the incidents could be connected and are sending the video for enhancements to identify the suspects The break-in has led to changes in the West Salem Police Department’s patrol strategy even as the department deals with budget constraints If you have any information on recent break-ins you're asked to call the West Salem Police Department at 419-853-4440 (This story has been updated with new information) A Salem man died Monday night after a possible hit-and-run in West Salem Police responded to a call of an injured man in the roadway at about 8:30 p.m Police said the traffic team is investigating the incident as a possible hit-and-run and encouraged anyone with information to call the Salem Police tip line The intersection was closed for three and a half hours while police investigated