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.
Latest data shows fewer people in hospital, but more Marion County residents with COVID-19
A snapshot of Marion County’s COVID-19 heatmap from Friday, May 1, 2020. Marion County remains the epicenter of Oregon’s COVID-19 outbreak, with twice as many cases per capita as the state average. Salem Reporter is publishing data from state, county…
Labor department investigating complaints of Salem hotels refusing to house homeless during pandemic
ARCHES project outreach workers Ali Stephens, left, and Lucy Briseno talk with motel resident Diane Murphy about a newly instituted curfew at a Salem motel being used to house the homeless on Thursday, April 9. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Oregon’s Bureau…
Willamette University chemist wins major grant to improve treatment for disease that causes blindness
Sarah Kirk stands next to a high performance liquid chromotography system in her lab at Willamette University. Kirk will spearhead a research project funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate treatment for a hereditary eye…
Heart problems most common condition among Oregonians who have died from COVID-19
Andrea Davila, a nurse at the Kaiser Permanente North Lancaster clinic administers a test for COVID-19 at the clinic’s drive-thru testing site on Wednesday, April 29. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) The existing health conditions of Oregonians play a significant role in…
Itching for a field trip? Walk through Oregon’s Capitol online
Kids celebrate Oregon’s 161st birthday on February 15, 2020 with hands-on activities in the Oregon State Capitol rotunda. (Courtesy Joel Zak/Oregon State Capitol Foundation) Oregon’s Capitol may be closed to the public, but you can still take a look around…
Latest data shows Woodburn remains epicenter of Marion County’s COVID-19 outbreak
A snapshot of Marion County’s heatmap showing COVID-19 hotspots by ZIP code as of April 27, 2020. Nearly 30 Woodburn residents have tested positive for COVID-19 since April 24, showing the virus continues to spread in one of the most…
Don’t put those caps away yet, Class of 2020. Plans for ceremonies unveiled
New summer Class of 2019 graduates face their families and supporters after a ceremony at West Salem High School (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Students from the Class of 2020 were loud and clear: they want to walk across a graduation stage.…
Parents, students find both fun and frustration in Salem-Keizer switch to distance learning
Seen through a sliding glass door, Noah Hall, wife Jessica and children Evan, 6, and Ruby, 2, sit at the kitchen table of their Salem home on Wednesday, April 23. The Halls are both elementary school teachers who are currently…
New county data shows people have tested positive for COVID-19 in nearly every part of Marion County
New data released by the Marion County Health & Human Services department shows people have tested positive for COVID-19 across the greater Salem area as of April 24, 2020 NOTE: Salem Reporter is providing free access to its content related…
With graduation ceremony unlikely, South Salem parents organize mosaic mural to celebrate Class of 2020
A mockup of the Saxon Class of 2020 mural (Courtesy/Kim Pike) NOTE: Salem Reporter is providing free access to its content related to the coronavirus as a community service. Subscriptions are vital to continue this so please sign up today. The graduation…