In this Polk County Report: A public-private partnership has developed a new hotel in Independence, Oregon. The recently opened hotel, located along the Willamette River, is called The Independence. Sondra Storm, the hotel’s manager, talks with KMUZ about the project and its potential to bring tourist dollars to town.

Chemeketa Community College offers a new four-week program to train people to be a commercial truck driver. In this program, Paul Davis, program manager, and Mike Cupp, instructor, talk about the need for more drivers and what people learn in the course.

On Tues Nov 12, 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments to determine whether the Trump administration's executive order to rescind DACA - Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals - is legal. DACA supporters held rallies that day in support of DACA recipients. Maricruz Reyes, a Salem-Keizer educator, and defendant in the case was one of many speakers in the Salem rally on the steps of the State Capitol. The court ruling is expected in June 2020.

Marilyn Johnston tells the story about her mother, who was one of the first SPAR recruits. SPAR was women recruits in the Coast Guard formed during WWII - created to "release a man to sea”.

Anya Holcomb, one of the founders of Salem For Refugees, talks about the successes and challenges of resettling over 300 refugees in Salem over the last three years.

This segment of News From the North focuses on how Keizer City Council is looking to change its charter, including the removal of discriminatory language and how councilors are elected.

This segment of News From the North focuses on questionable practices by owners/managers of mobile home parks and how mobile home park residents in Keizer are responding."

Sandra Hernandez-Lomeili, director of Latinos Unidos Siempre, talks about the importance of graffiti as an art form and the significance of exhibiting this art form in a main stream gallery. The exhibit runs until Dec 5, 2019.

Salem City Council moved forward in the process of increasing revenue with two different proposals: an operating tax paid by all residents and an employee payroll tax paid by people who work in the city. Hear council deliberations and an interview with the mayor about why the proposals are needed and how council members feel about them.