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.
With unexpected millions flowing, Salem-Keizer school officials add more building projects
New additions under construction at McNary High School on Aug. 23, 2019 (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Seven local schools will get more hefty remodeling projects than planned as Salem-Keizer School District executives spend an unexpected infusion of $65 million. The money…
Capital Park church steps up to shelter Salem homeless in winter
Capital Park Wesleyan Church will house about 50 homeless people on below freezing winter nights, becoming the fourth Salem church to join the warming center network. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) A fourth Salem church will shelter homeless people overnight during the…
These Salem teens want a seat at the table on suicide prevention
Eric Martz, center, and other board members of Live to Tell discuss suicide prevention during a board meeting on Sept. 26, 2019 (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Eric Martz sat quietly in the third row of a school board meeting with two…
“We are in danger of losing our humanity”: Willamette law professor speaks about migrant child detention
Postcards featuring the words of detained migrant children and their parents were featured at a Salem City Club presentation by Willamette University law professor Warren Binford (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) “He said that we were going to sleep on the floor.…
Two volunteers needed for Salem-Keizer budget committee
The Salem-Keizer School District needs two community volunteers to weigh in on the district’s $1 billion annual budget. Two seats are currently open on the district’s budget committee, a 14-member group that meets regularly in April and May to review…
Kiwi berries a hit in program to get fresh fruits and veggies to Salem elementary schoolers
Bella Blessing smiles while eating a kiwi berry during her first grade class at Hoover Elementary School. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Most students in Veronica Sedlacek’s first grade class had never heard of a kiwi berry. Before serving the grape-sized fruit…
Three more McNary students arrested after large fight on campus
McNary High School (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Five McNary High School students are facing criminal charges related to a fight that broke out after school last week. The fight happened immediately after school on Sept. 19 near the school’s gym. Two…
With new tax credit, Oregon treasurer hopes to promote college savings for lower income families
Harmony Terry, a kindergartener at Scott Elementary School, holds a Be College Ready folder during a visit by Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Saving for college is like planting pumpkin seeds in the garden, state Treasurer Tobias Read…
A few weeks into class, Salem-Keizer culinary students eager to serve
Culinary student Rebecca Tipton prepares to serve mozzarella, tomato and salami skewers at a ribbon-cutting event at Salem-Keizer’s Career Technical Education Center (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) The 44 students in the new culinary program at the Salem-Keizer School District haven’t yet…
Student test scores down across Salem-Keizer, but some schools saw big gains
Students get off the bus for the first day of school at Bush Elementary. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) About 400 fewer Salem-Keizer students passed the state’s English test last year than in the previous year, according to state data released Thursday.…