Weekend News Report With Kevin Hays (AUDIO)

Salem-News.com

(SALEM) - Here are today's top stories from Salem-News.com with Kevin Hays reporting...

Traffic officers from five police agencies participated in a saturation patrol on Interstate-5 Friday in Salem.

A total of 11 officers from Oregon State Police, Marion County Sheriff's Office, and Keizer, Woodburn, and Salem Police Departments participated in saturation patrols on Interstate 5.

Saturation patrol efforts were focused in the highway work zone near Kuebler Road, and other stretches of the freeway between Salem and Woodburn.

A total of 98 citations and 9 warnings were issued.

Salem Police detectives arrested 27-year old Michael Joshua Ruiz of Keizer and 39-year old Beth Louise Nicolet of Salem, as a result of an investigation into an Identity Theft ring.

Ruiz and Nicolet were located at the Super 8 Motel in Woodburn and a search warrant was served on their room, in which laptop computers, counterfeit checks, stolen checks, drugs and a loaded handgun were found.

Both were logged at the Marion County Jail on numerous charges.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Susan Castillo on Friday upheld the Oregon School Activities Association's six-class system for high school sports.

Castillo said that when the OSAA adopted the classification system, it did not violate state or federal laws, the rules of the Department of Education, or its own rules "in a manner that would have changed the outcome."

The Eugene, Medford and Salem-Keizer school districts challenged the reclassification, claiming it was unsafe and would cause hardship for students - including lost class time - because of increased travel.

The plan, approved by the OSAA's Executive Board in October, moved Redmond into a league with the six Salem-Keizer high schools. Two Eugene schools, meanwhile, were moved into a league with teams in Medford - about 170 miles away.

The districts can appeal the order to the state Court of Appeals.

The latest Salem area news, weather and sports on demand at Salem-News.com.