Rachel Alexander
Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers education, economic development and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade and is a past president of Oregon's Society of Professional Journalists chapter. Outside of work, you can often find her gardening or with her nose buried in a book.
Superintendent Christy Perry rebukes school board over “discounting” experiences of students of color
Superintendent Christy Perry publicly rebuked her supervisors – the elected Salem-Keizer School Board – during a Tuesday meeting, saying she can no longer ask thousands of district employees to fight against racism without sharing how board members have discounted the…
Board director, community leaders call on Salem-Keizer school board chair Marty Heyen to step down
A screenshot of the Salem-Keizer School Board’s March 30 meeting shows board member Paul Kyllo, top center, holding a mask of former Portland Trailblazers player Cliff Robinson over his face. A school board member and others in the community calling…
Marion County sets two daily COVID-19 records: 51 new cases, 540 tests reported
Marion County reported 51 new residents with COVID-19 on June 22, setting a new county record. (Screenshot from Marion County Health & Human Services data dashboard) Marion County on Monday reported 51 residents newly-diagnosed with COVID-19, the highest one-day total…
For 50 years, police have patrolled schools in Salem. Now, some say it’s time for a new approach.
A 50-year-old program of police in Salem-Keizer schools has become a flashpoint in local discussions about racial justice as activists who have long pushed for changes to school discipline say people in power can no longer ignore them. A petition…
Here’s where you can celebrate Juneteenth in Salem
Gregg Simpson, march organizer, leads protesters in taking a knee during the March for Floyd on Saturday, June 6. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Salem residents can gather virtually or from a safe distance at a local park to celebrate Juneteenth on…
Blue collar working families were struggling before COVID-19 hit. Without help, advocates fear a wave of evictions.
Farm to Families food boxes are distributed from the St. Vincent De Paul food bank on Friday, May 22 . (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Working-class families in Oregon were struggling to afford necessities before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, a trend advocates…
Salem Public Market hit by burglars over weekend
A Salem Public Market post on Facebook showed items missing from vendor booths following a burglary discovered on June 13, 2020. Burglars stole hundreds of dollars of art, jewelry and candles from Salem Public Market over the weekend, cleaning out…
Should police stay in Salem-Keizer schools? Here’s what local citizens are saying.
Dozens of students, parents, teachers and graduates are weighing in on police in schools as leaders from the Salem-Keizer School District plan for summer community forums to discuss the future of contracts with local law enforcement agencies. A virtual June…
Coronavirus cases climbing with no clear hotspot in Marion County
A Marion County Health & Human Services map shows where new cases of COVID-19 has been concentrated as of June 11. Numbers show new cases in the past two weeks per 100,000 ZIP code residents. Source here. Marion County has…
School in the fall will include face masks, smaller classes and online learning for some students
Students get off the bus for the first day of school at Bush Elementary. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Salem schools can resume in-person classes in the fall, but students should expect to see smaller classes, bus drivers wearing masks and logs…