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 over 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.
AGENDA: Salem-Keizer board to consider supplemental budget, Asian Pacific Heritage proclamation
Salem-Keizer school board members will consider a supplemental budget for this year to reflect extra grant funding, vote on a board candidate for the Willamette Educational Service District and adopt a proclamation for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at a meeting…
After overhauling ravine, Mission Street Parks Conservancy has ambitious plans for Salem parks
Gretchen Carnaby, a garden designer and co-founder of the Mission Street Parks Conservancy, shows off a Japanese maple the group planted in the Bush Pasture Park ravine. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) A dozen volunteers pulled weeds from bare dirt and sprayed…
Need to cool off this weekend? Salem splash fountains open early
People play in the Willamette River in Salem. (Salem Reporter file) Looking for a way to cool down this weekend? With temperatures Saturday expected to rise to 88 degrees, the city of Salem is opening its spray fountains in local…
West Salem student newspaper class cut for 2019-20 school year
Alec Palm, West Salem sophomore and Titan Spectator managing editor, urges a school district budget committee to reconsider cutting the student newspaper class. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) West Salem High School will likely lose its student newspaper class next year because…
Seeking Latino representation, Oregon farmworker union throws muscle into Salem-Keizer school board races
Miguel Barrientos, a paid field organizer for Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, walks door-to-door in southeast Salem, canvassing for school board candidates Raul Marquez and David Salinas. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Miguel Barrientos wore a button-down shirt and sneakers as…
Thousands of teachers, educators march on Oregon Capitol to demand funding
Educators rally in front of the Capitol as part of a statewide teacher walkout on May 8, 2019 (Aubrey Wieber/Salem Reporter) One llama and a handful of dogs joined about 2,000 educators from Salem, Eugene and the Mid-Willamette Valley for…
McKay engineering team planning for June trip to MIT
McKay High School sophomores Isabel Mejia, left and Jazmin Morales Rodriguez show off a 3D printer to students at a science fair at First Baptist Church in Salem (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) By 5 p.m. on a Friday, most McKay High School…
AGENDA: Salem-Keizer budget committee to take input on proposed 2019-20 budget
The Salem-Keizer school board and budget committee will review Superintendent Christy Perry’s proposed budget for 2019-20 and hear public input at a Tuesday meeting. The $1.19 billion budget maintains current district services while shifting some staff around to accommodate a…
Salem Reporter growing team of local journalists
Salem Reporter is growing and seeking a fourth reporter to cover community and breaking news. We started last August with a team of three reporters and an editor and an ambitious plan: become Salem’s go-to news source, with a special…
Ballots are out for Salem-Keizer school board. Here’s who’s running.
School board candidates David Salinas (top left), Satya Chandragiri, Raul Marquez, Marty Heyen, Danielle Bethell and Chuck Lee. If you’re registered to vote in Marion or Polk County, you’ve likely gotten a ballot for the May 21 special election. Voters…