Welcome to the Statesman Journal, the trusted source for local news, sports and more based in the Oregon state capital of Salem.
Here’s a little about us and how to reach us.
The Statesman Journal’s mission and vision
The Statesman Journal’s mission is to provide accurate news, fast and in context, to help inform our Mid-Willamette Valley communities.
Our work is focused on holding government officials accountable, tracking policy decisions and following how taxpayer money is being spent. We research candidates’ claims and backgrounds for local government, school board and statewide races so you can make educated decisions when you vote. We investigate local issues to keep our community informed. We also highlight people driving change in the community and bring local sports and the outdoors to you through stories, photos and videos.
A little bit about the Statesman Journal’s history
The Statesman Journal is Oregon’s second-oldest newspaper. It was founded in 1851 in Oregon City, eight years before statehood.
The newspaper followed the territorial seat of government to Salem in 1853, then briefly to Corvallis in 1855, before both returned to Salem and established permanent roots.
The Statesman Journal evolved from a merger of two publications, the morning Oregon Statesman and the afternoon Capital Journal. The two were family-operated and housed under one production facility with separate and competitive news staffs when they became part of Gannett in 1974, then merged into one newspaper in 1980.
Today, the Statesman Journal is a member of the Gannett family of digital and print media serving more than 200 local markets.
Who we serve and what we cover
The Statesman Journal serves readers throughout the Mid-Willamette Valley, focusing on issues and happenings in Salem and surrounding areas and beyond throughout Marion and Polk counties.
Our reporters cover a wide range of topics important to our community, including breaking news and public safety; state and local government; business and development news; area events and the outdoors; and high school sports, among other things.
For breaking news updates and exclusive features from the Statesman Journal, download our mobile app.
Statesman Journal values and standards
We aim to produce credible local journalism by reporting accurately, ethically and fairly. If we make a factual error, we will correct it.
To report a correction, email salemnew@salem.gannett.com or leave us a voicemail at 503-399-6773.
Meet the Statesman Journal team
Landon Bartlett, sports reporter. Covers local high school sports and Oregon State University athletics.
Abigail Dollins, visual journalist. Covers news, life and sports through photos and videos.
Isabel Funk, breaking news and public safety reporter. Covers crime, courts and public safety issues in the community.
Tracy Loew, families and environment reporter. Covers Salem-Keizer Public Schools and environmental issues.
Dianne Lugo, legislative and equity reporter. Covers the Oregon State Legislature and equity issues.
Capi Lynn, senior reporter. Covers a wide variety of community topics, including local history.
Anastasia Mason, state government reporter. Covers the executive branch of state government including state agencies.
Kevin Neri, visual journalist. Covers news, life and sports through photos and videos.
Bill Poehler, regional reporter. Covers Marion and Polk counties and their communities.
Ginnie Sandoval, Oregon connect reporter. Covers trending news across Oregon.
Jesse Sowa, sports editor. Leads the team covering local high school and college sports.
Zach Urness, outdoors editor. Covers wildfires, weather and things to do in the outdoors and produces the Explore Oregon Podcast.
Jonathan Williams, editor. Leads the newsroom staff and strategy.
Whitney Woodworth, city reporter. Covers the city of Salem and local development.
How to contact the Statesman Journal
NEWSROOM
ADVERTISING AND MARKETING SOLUTIONS
As a next-generation media company and part of the USA Today Network, we can help grow your business with integrated advertising and marketing solutions through print and digital resources. To connect with on one of our marketing and advertising experts, call 1-855-263-7659, option 5, or go to cm.statesmanjournal.com/advertise-with-us.
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING
CUSTOMER SERVICE AND DELIVERY
- Call: 503-399-6789, option 1
LEGAL NOTICES
OBITUARIES
SUBSCRIPTION PAYMENTS
- Pay with a credit or debit card by logging in at account.statesmanjournal.com
- Payments by check must be mailed to: Statesman Journal, P.O. Box 512598, Los Angeles, CA 90051-1598
Awards and achievements
The Statesman Journal has been recognized numerous times over the years by organizations such as the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association and the Society of Professional Journalists, including these recent awards:
2024
Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association’s Pacific Northwest News Contest
- General excellence: Second place, Staff, behind the Grants Pass Daily Courier in first place and in front of The Seattle Times in third place.
- Best Writing, Division A: Third place, Capi Lynn for her coverage of parents David and DeLee Brown as they tackle suicide prevention in memory of their son.
2023
Society of Professional Journalists Region 10 contest
- Environment & Natural Disaster Reporting: Second place, Zach Urness for his coverage on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ extreme water drawdowns at Oregon reservoirs and how they impacted local communities in an effort to save endangered salmon.
- Sports Action Photography: Second place, Kevin Neri for spotting a heartwarming moment with his “Proud soccer mom” photo, showcasing the emotional connection between a soccer player and his mom after a first-round game in the OSAA 4A state playoffs.
Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
- Best Government Coverage: First place, Dianne Lugo, for her stories on the Oregon Department of Employment’s demands for reimbursement of overpayments made during the COVID-19 pandemic. A judge ruled parts of the overpayment system were unconstitutional and later told the state to make changes.
- Best Spots News Coverage, Second place, Dianne Lugo and Zach Urness for their live blog on the Liberty Fire that burned south of Salem in August 2023.
- Best Feature Story: Second place, Zach Urness, for his story on how the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is spending billions to save Chinook salmon by using a “fish taxi” to transport the iconic fish at Upper Willamette Basin dams.
- Best Enterprise Reporting, Third place, Whitney Woodworth, for her analysis on why Salem Police have killed people at a higher rate than other Oregon cities over the past 10 years.
- Best News Photo, Third place, Abigail Dollins, for her photo that showed the destruction of a fire that devastated St. Joseph Catholic Church in Salem. The fire was determined to be arson.
