Contributors

Carlee Wright is a community instigator with a grand love for Salem and notably fashionable shoes (Hello, John Fluevog!) who turns waste into wearable art in her "spare" time.

Tracy Torres has a penchant for funky shoes and fun music. She loves all of the activities Salem has to offer, and can often be found lurking (working) behind the scenes to make things happen.

Anne Lapour is a teacher, career advisor and food fanatic. She spends much of her spare time cooking, reading and reading about cooking. She also holds a certification in wine education and makes a mean cocktail. A fan and supporter of Salem's food scene, Anne loves to talk and write about the creative folks who make Salem a gem of the Willamette Valley.

Sarah Evans is a former journalist and lifelong writer who will never get curiosity and storytelling out of her blood. She is a longtime Salem supporter who loves sharing Salem gems with friends and who gets really irritated by Portland people who knock her city.

Ben Mah is a photographer who finds that most pizza doesn't have enough cheese, exclusively drives Toyota Camrys, and thinks the best thing about Salem is the abundance of things to do for a town of its size.

Sarah Rohrs is a poet, photographer and former newspaper reporter who now works as a teacher’s aide. She's involved in the local poetry scene, and likes to walk and marvel at trees, flowers and clouds, plus check out Salem's coffee shops, book stores and art galleries.

Stephen McClanahan is a freelance social media coordinator living in Salem. A former Speech & Debate coach, Stephen spends much of his time haunting the coffee shops in town, where he can be found taking notes on his next event promotion. He enjoys craft beer and the local pro-wrestling scene.

Heather Rayhorn has been involved in covering Salem entertainment for 18 years. She's currently going back to grad school to get her teacher's license and hopes to teach area teens to love reading and writing. She is a backpacker, gardener, recycling drama queen, and Jesus seeker.

Joce Johnson is a writer, content designer, and a true believer in the stories Salem has to offer. If she’s not walking her beloved neighborhood, she’s likely spending way too much time in a thrift shop or pining over her family’s next trip.

Jay Shenai is a writer and reporter who hails from the Silverton area. When not reading about pirates while sipping a cold coffee sitting in a quiet corner of a library listening to the gentle tapping of the rainfall, you may find him at Coin Jam honing his dinosaur capturing prowess.

Jessica Murdoch is a writer, editor, poet, and hardcore Salem advocate with a passion for building authentic community. Also known as the Rhetorical Redhead, the elusive ginger can be found adventuring through the Valley, absorbing music, handwriting letters, and living analog.

Kelly Williams Brown is the New York Times-bestselling author of “Adulting.” In her spare time, she likes to read, dance, craft, drive to small towns to eat lunch, dress up in folk costume, and seek out the few shades of red lipstick that a redhead can reasonably pull off.