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.
Five years ago, this Salem mom lost her son to the state. Now, they’re buying a home.
Ellisha Pepper and her children celebrate the wall raising on their Habitat for Humanity home, under construction in south Salem in 2019. (Courtesy/Salem Habitat for Humanity) When Ellisha Pepper got her son back from the state, she made a promise.…
Parents point to class size, accessibility, better training to improve Salem-Keizer schools
Hallman Elementary students gather during the school’s morning assembly. (Fred Joe/Special to Salem Reporter) Thousands of students facing challenges to succeed in school could be helped with changes proposed by parents and others in recent sessions held by the Salem-Keizer…
Chemeketa opens truck driving program to help locals get commercial license
Sheldon Traver gets pointers on inspecting a trailer from Chemeketa Community College truck driving instructor Mike Cupp, left (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Richard Smith has been driving trucks in the asphalt business for a long time but can’t always get work…
Salem residents promote reading and build community, one free library at a time
Sarah Chilcote organizes books in her Little Free Library on D Street in Northeast Salem (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Some want to help local kids get books. Others are in it to meet neighbors. Dozens of Salem homeowners have erected miniature…
Merkley talks to Salem teens about what adults can do better to prevent suicide
Students with Live to Tell, a student-led suicide prevention organization, meet with Senator Jeff Merkley at his Salem office on Nov. 25, 2019 (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Eight Salem teenagers in suits and dress shirts sat around a table in a…
Free lunch available Thanksgiving week at Salem-Keizer schools
Students eat breakfast on the first day of school at Bush Elementary School. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Local students aren’t in class this week, but a dozen elementary school cafeterias will be open and serving free lunch. Salem-Keizer School District officials…
McNary Font Club embarks on “humanitarian work” to remove Comic Sans from school buses
Senior Julia DaSilva, playing Comic Sans, attacks sophomore Ian Madsen, playing Times New Roman, during a Font Club rehearsal (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) They’ve published zines, worn lampshades on their head in protest of district nutritional guidelines and debated typeface. Now,…
PHOTOS: Schirle students get into Thanksgiving spirit with Turkey Trot
Schirle second and third grade students take off running in the school’s 2019 Turkey Trot (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) About 150 Schirle Elementary students hit the track after school Friday for the Turkey Trot, a Schirle tradition where families and Schirle…
Salem-Keizer hits seven-year high in number of homeless students
More Salem-area students were homeless last year, and the number living on the streets and without parents or guardians is also up. State data released Thursday showed 1,164 Salem-Keizer students were considered homeless at some point during the 2018-19 school…
Years of planning for new YMCA take shape as downtown Salem building demolished
Demolition in progress at the Salem YMCA on Nov. 15, 2019 (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Customers at Salem’s IKE Box now have courtside seats to the historic YMCA building’s demolition over the coming weeks. By the end of the year, the…