Need your help! Best place to raise 3 year old? Albany area? Salem? and others

[Logan's Dad]

Originally Posted by oregon_mom

Before You Move Here Find A Job I Moved Here From Az And Its Very Hard To Find Work Get One Before You Move The Area In Salem Is Nice The People Are Nice Cool Night But Rain Of And On

I will only move to Oregon if hired.

[Logan's Dad]

Originally Posted by INEEDSUNSHINE

Hi,
Have you considered the Rogue Valley in Southern OR. Cities include Medford/Ashland. There is a University in Asland (SOU) and a Community College (RCC) based out of Grants Pass with a Medford location.
Plenty of Churches in this area. Good Luck with the search.

I will look into it but I will only move if there is a counseling position posted at a college in any given area.

I want some cooler weather in summer too! It is way too hot where I live!

[Logan's Dad]

How hot does it get in the summer in:

Albany?

Salem area?

[bobmulk]

Logan's Dad: I lived in Orange County for about eight years in the 80's when I was fresh out of college. I left in 1990 for the same reasons you mention. The place has gone straight to hell.

I currently live in Salem (population 150,000, metro 380,000). We're close to Portland for all the amenities up there and we have shopping, wine country nearby, arts, festivals, you name it. Albany is much smaller (approaching 50,000) and has access to the amenities at OSU but as a smaller community, doesn't have what Salem has.

I live near Chemeketa Community College and I'm in a very nice neighborhood. As for gangs, graffiti, etc., the sad thing is this...in 2007 America, any community that is growing is going to see gangs, drugs, graffiti. Here it is mostly hispanic gangs--call that racist if you want, but it's a statistical fact. The police know it and so does everyone else.

Depending on how much you can afford, the neighborhoods surrounding CCC (the Jan Ree area) have a number of homes ranging from $180K to $350K with many nice neighborhoods. You're close to the freeway so you can get anywhere easily.

You're smart, as a Christian, to want to go to Salem or Albany. Christians and anyone with conservative values are not especially respected in the more liberal areas. Salem and Albany have a large number of churches to choose from and you'll feel more at home and probably be more welcomed.

Good luck and welcome to Oregon.

[Logan's Dad]

Originally Posted by bobmulk

Logan's Dad: I lived in Orange County for about eight years in the 80's when I was fresh out of college. I left in 1990 for the same reasons you mention. The place has gone straight to hell.

I currently live in Salem (population 150,000, metro 380,000). We're close to Portland for all the amenities up there and we have shopping, wine country nearby, arts, festivals, you name it. Albany is much smaller (approaching 50,000) and has access to the amenities at OSU but as a smaller community, doesn't have what Salem has.

I live near Chemeketa Community College and I'm in a very nice neighborhood. As for gangs, graffiti, etc., the sad thing is this...in 2007 America, any community that is growing is going to see gangs, drugs, graffiti. Here it is mostly hispanic gangs--call that racist if you want, but it's a statistical fact. The police know it and so does everyone else.

Depending on how much you can afford, the neighborhoods surrounding CCC (the Jan Ree area) have a number of homes ranging from $180K to $350K with many nice neighborhoods. You're close to the freeway so you can get anywhere easily.

You're smart, as a Christian, to want to go to Salem or Albany. Christians and anyone with conservative values are not especially respected in the more liberal areas. Salem and Albany have a large number of churches to choose from and you'll feel more at home and probably be more welcomed.

Good luck and welcome to Oregon.

Thanks for all the info. I hope to check out Albany soon.

[LarryMorris]

You need to move to Sherwood. It's a small town close enough to Portland to be apart of everything yet far enough away to escape the craziness. The schools are some of the best in teh nation. The YMCA is incredible and geared for 3+ to HS. George Fox University is about 10 minutes away. There are many churchs near from the small to the mega.

We have a 4 year old and love it here. We also are strong Christians and while Portland is "unchurched" that generally means that those who do go are pretty strong.

Let me know if you have any questions or if you need any help with financing.

[DavePautsch]

Logan's Dad.
I don't think there is anyplace you can go to get away from drugs completely...but Albany does not have a significantdrug or gang problem, at least as far as I have seen in my almost 6 years here.

Linn-Benton CC is a very solid school, with extensions all over the area. When I was at the NROTC unit at OSU, we had many of our students taking a class or 2 at LBCC (more cost effective, smaller class sizes...) there is a great realtionship between the CC and OSU.

Summers here...terriffic! I don't remember any days over 100 degrees. There were about 2 weeks last summer where I was really glad I had A/C...but generally not oppressive...and the coast is just an hour 1/2 away and its always cooler there it seems!

What I love most about Albany is the sense of community. In the summers there are free concerts in at Monteith Park (River Rhythms...great tradition and HAS had some name bands over the years). Veterans Day Parade every year (biggest on the west coast they say)...HS sports are still popular (West Albany had a great season last year!) Every church denomination is represented (at least all the ones that I can think of). First Assembly of God is one of the largest churches here and we have lots of friends that go there. Very welcoming!

All the best,
DavePautsch

[Chimp]

DO NOT move to North Salem! You want to look in S. Salem or W. Salem or an outlying community. NOT Woodburn either! There are hookers that actually walk the streets on Portland Rd. in N. Salem!

[oregon_mom]

Originally Posted by Chimp

DO NOT move to North Salem! You want to look in S. Salem or W. Salem or an outlying community. NOT Woodburn either! There are hookers that actually walk the streets on Portland Rd. in N. Salem!

I live in north salem,or and i like it its more buzy then other areas cause lancaster drive is very buzy and i have never seen any hookers walking the st at night if you want to live in a more QUIET area dont move to n salem cause its more buzy then the other areas