SALEM, Ore. — Salem residents dealt with icy conditions Saturday morning, as temperatures are expected to remain well below freezing throughout the weekend. While most people made an effort to stay inside, some didn't have much of a choice.
For Salem's homeless residents, finding shelter during the daylight hours is a constant struggle.
"We just hope for better,” said Rachel Flores, who is homeless. “We pray for better."
On Saturday morning, Flores and Montu Scarborough, another homeless Salem resident, were pushing their belongings along icy sidewalks. They hoped to reach a shelter to spend the day.
"To say the least, it's going to be a long day. It's going to be a long day," Scarborough said.
The pair worried that in sub-freezing conditions, shelters may run out of space and they’ll be forced to stay outside.
"If they don't have enough room, there's not enough room," Flores said.
If they couldn’t find shelter for the day, the two would be forced to stay outside until 7 p.m., when emergency warming shelters open.
"What's the plan is to get under some shelter today,” Scarborough said. “Probably get some coffee, meet with some friends and all that good madness. And really just stay warm."
Meanwhile, other Salem residents expressed concerns about how the icy conditions could affect the roads.
"People do not know how to drive in the snow, and I'd rather stay home," Amelia Smith said. “(I’m) definitely not going out."
While most residents of the city decided to spend their weekend inside, Flores and Scarborough didn’t have that option.
"It's been hard, it's been hard," Flores said.