Local officials and neighbors gathered Wednesday afternoon for a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating Salem’s new welcome sign, following six years of effort and the correction of a spelling mistake.

City Councilor Irvin Brown and Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell helped cut the ribbon to commemorate the final version of the sign, designed by local artist Kaethe Mentrum.

It’s located on Northeast Portland Road.

Mentrum pitched her design to the city in 2019.

Bureaucracy slowed the process when Mentrum had to rework her original design with the Oregon Department of Transportation, and the city revised its code to get a sign permit. ODOT also issued a permit as the sign is on its property.

The sign is blue with gold lettering and embellishments, representing the colors of the O

See Full Page