Salem-News.com Holiday articles Page 15

Top Stories of 2008 on Salem-News.com

A roundup of our most visited stories in 2008.

(SALEM, Ore.) - 2008 has been an interesting year, to say the least. The United States elected a new President, and we saw a number of tragic, amazing and sometimes amusing stories, unfold.

There are many ways to gauge our most visited stories of 2008. In the literal sense, nothing beats a top ten list. We assembled our top ten stories from each month to give our viewers an interesting and candid look at what gets the big page views at Salem-News.com. Some of the figures are what you would expect, but some probably are not.

The statistics seem to point to politics, military events and drug laws as our visitor's prime areas of interest. Each story published on Salem-News.com has the ability to rank in more than one month.

Columbia County Operations Resume After Record-Breaking Winter Storm

Update on Weight Restrictions Imposed as a result of the Freeze/Thaw Cycle‏.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Officials say most of Columbia County is back to normal activities this week after two weeks of snow and ice hampered the holiday activities of many residents.

The storm brought a record 18.9 inches of snow to the region and was the snowiest month since 1969 according to the National Weather Service and a record snowfall for lower elevations.

The weather event affected the roads and on Tuesday, the 23rd of December the County Commissioners approved a Board Order imposing weight restrictions on posted county roads to reduce road damage as a result of the heavy freeze/thaw cycle.

Police Release Preliminary Post-Christmas Holiday Period Statistics‏

OSP, county sheriff departments, city police agencies and ODOT are preparing for the upcoming extended New Year's holiday weekend starting 6:00 PM, Wednesday, December 31st, through 11:59 p.m., Sunday, January 4th.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Preliminary information for this year's 102-hour Christmas holiday period indicates traffic fatalities were slightly higher and Oregon State Police DUII arrests equaled last year's figures in Oregon.

Known fatal traffic crashes investigated by Oregon law enforcement agencies between 6:00 PM, Wednesday, December 24th, through 11:59 PM, Sunday, December 28th, reflects five people were killed in five separate traffic crashes.

Battered Mothers Nationwide Lifeline at Risk of Ending

Volunteers are urging concerned citizens to visit the Website and make a donation to keep the Hotline available and working during this critical time of year.

(COLUMBIA, Mo.) - After rescuing over 6,000 battered women and their children over past two years, the Battered Mothers Hotline is now in danger of shutting down.

Illness never chooses a convenient time to rear its ugly head – and this time it could herald the end of a service that’s helped over 6,000 battered women across the U.S. escape life-threatening abuse: The Battered Mothers Resource Fund Hotline.

This Hotline is unusual because it connects battered women with those shelters that take both women and their children. Most shelters do not accept children, so mothers who fear for their children's lives as well as their own simply don't leave. They stay with their abuser in hopes of protecting the kids.

Oregon Guardsmen Assist Portland Police, to Help Families in Need (PHOTOS)

Each basket contains enough food to prepare a holiday meal; bread, turkey, and dry goods, which are donated by local businesses and individuals throughout the year.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Freezing temperatures and falling snow wasn't enough to stop volunteers from distributing holiday food baskets to families throughout the Portland Metro area on December 20th.

The 2008 Festival of Lights Holiday Parade Happens Tonight in Salem

With snow, Santa comes to Salem...

(SALEM, Ore.) - Despite frosty weather projections, the Portland General Electric Festival of Lights Holiday Parade in downtown Salem begins tonight, Saturday, December 13, at 6:30 PM.

With more than 60 entries including bands, illuminated floats, and a special appearance by the man in red himself, SANTA, the PGE Festival of Lights Holiday Parade is a Oregonian holiday season tradition.

The parade starts at 6:30 PM in front of the Capitol Building on Court Street at Waverly, heads west on Court, north on Liberty, west on Chemeketa, south on Commercial, and then heads home, east on State Street. The parade’s estimated finish time is approximately 8:00 – 8:30 PM.

Doggone Fun Holiday Getaways

Travel writer CeliaSue Hecht highlights another one of the best vacation spots on the west coast for people who like to travel with man's best friend.

(MENDOCINO ) - Gotta getaway for the holidays with Fido and Fluffy without breaking the bank? Try pet friendly Mendocino.There is fun in them thar verdant rolling hills plus the pooch pounding surf of the Pacific ocean.

Southern Oregon Cops Help Kids at Christmas

Douglas County-area kids "Shop with a Cop" in Roseburg.

(ROSEBURG, Ore.) - Several Douglas County area law enforcement officers and Kmart associates helped to brighten the upcoming holiday season for many children Saturday morning participating in the area's annual "Shop with a Cop".

Saturday, from 8:45 AM to 11:00 AM, Oregon State Police troopers along with members from Roseburg Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Myrtle Creek Police Department, and Winston Police Department helped children shop for special gifts at the Roseburg Kmart store.

According to Douglas County Deputy Dwes Hutson, children were paired with a law enforcement officer and given a $30.00 gift card to buy presents for their family.

A Marine`s Christmas Poem

A special poem for special Americans who defend this country in uniform.

(SEAL BEACH, Calif.) - This poem was written in 1986, by Lance Corporal James M. Schmidt while on duty in Washington D.C., and originally published in Leatherneck Magazine in 1991. Rich & Maureen Hamilton of Seal Beach, California say Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S. service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities.

"Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed," Richard Hamilton said.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE MADE OF
PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO
IN THIS HOME DID LIVE...

Thanksgiving Day Fire in Woodburn Results in No Injuries

Nobody was home at the residence when a passer by called 911 to report the fire.

(WOODBURN, Ore.) - The Woodburn and Aurora Fire Districts were called into action on Thanksgiving Day for a house fire in the 17000 block of Butteville Road.

A spokesman for Woodburn Fire says the initial response at 10:26 AM included three engines, three tenders, a ladder truck and an air support unit.

While responding to the call as a possible fire, dispatch received updated information confirming the house was on fire. Arriving on scene, Woodburn Engine 21 reported a two story farm house with heavy fire showing from the front.