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.
No change for May 2021 school board elections as Salem-Keizer adopts longer process for review
The Salem-Keizer School Board in 2019 (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) The Salem-Keizer School Board on Monday said they’ll reevaluate how board elections are conducted, but won’t make any changes to the process ahead of the May 2021 contest where four seats…
With open conversations about addiction, Bridgeway’s primary care provider tackles health and recovery
Sarah Hadfield, physician assistant, runs Bridgeway Recovery Services primary care in Salem (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Even before she became a physician assistant, Sarah Hadfield spent more time attending medical appointments than most people. While working at a residential treatment center…
Oregon health officials expect Covid vaccinations to accelerate, but more contagious Covid variants and looser restrictions could challenge progress
Dr. Dean Sidelinger, the Oregon state health officer, announces new state restrictions in a news conference in Portland on Thursday, March 12. (Jonathan House/Pamplin Media) Oregon health officials and Gov. Kate Brown on Friday said the state is on the…
Salem-Keizer ended its school resource officer program, but police will still have a scaled-back role in the district
Salem-Keizer Superintendent Christy Perry surprised her own school board and some members of the public Tuesday night when she announced the end of the district’s school resource officer program. But the district will keep in place a newer contract with…
Salem area on track to see pandemic restrictions further loosened if Covid case counts keep falling
Signs in the window of Brown’s Towne Restaurant and Lounge on Wednesday, September 30. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) The number of people diagnosed with Covid in the Salem area is falling, giving local leaders hope restrictions designed to stop the virus’…
Salem-Keizer won’t renew contracts for police in local schools
Protestors rallied outside of the Salem-Keizer school district offices on Thursday, June 18 to urge the district to cancel their contract for police officers in schools. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) The Salem-Keizer School District will no longer contract with local police…
Hoping to improve vaccine equity, Oregon allows some Salem-area health centers to vaccinate all patients
Florinda Velasquez, 74, prepares to receive her second dose of Covid vaccine from medical assistant Ana Barcenas at Lancaster Family Health Center in southeast Salem on Thursday, March 4. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) It was just before 4 p.m. on a…
Proposed overhaul of Salem-Keizer school board elections could mean more local campaigns
School board member Jesse Lippold at a spring 2019 meeting of the Salem-Keizer budget committee (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Four years ago, Jesse Lippold Peone and Levi Herrera-Lopez ran against each other for an open seat representing southeast Salem on the…
Brown orders Oregon public schools to resume in-person classes by April 19
Lucas Gage arrives by bus for the first day of in-person kindergarten at Richmond Elementary on Tuesday, March 2. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) Gov. Kate Brown on Friday ordered Oregon’s public schools to resume in-person classes for all students by mid-April,…
Years in the making, the foundation is being built for Salem’s new YMCA
Construction workers work at the site of the new YMCA facility on the corner of Court Street NE and Cottage Street NE on Tuesday, March 2. (Amanda Loman/Salem Reporter) When Timothy Sinatra sent out a fundraising appeal late last year…