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.
UPDATE: No measles in Marion County, lab finds
Update: Lab tests indicated a suspected measles case was not measles, the Marion County Health Department said Saturday afternoon. Original story below: Health officials in Salem are monitoring a suspected measles case, the Marion County Health Department said Saturday. It’s…
Keizer Chamber director Danielle Bethell announces run for school board
Danielle Bethell, executive director of Keizer’s Chamber of Commerce, is running for Salem-Keizer school board (Courtesy/Danielle Bethell) The executive director of Keizer’s Chamber of Commerce says she’d do a better job representing the city on the Salem-Keizer school board. Danielle…
College administrators from five states vying to be next Chemeketa president
Finalists for Chemeketa Community College president are Julie White (top left), Tod Treat (bottom left), Jessica Howard (top right), Robert Wynegar and Kimberlee Messina. College administrators from five states are vying to replace retiring President Julie Huckestein as the next…
Local citizens can soon bid for seat on Salem-Keizer School Board
Want a job overseeing a billion-dollar agency with more than 4,600 employees? Three seats on the Salem-Keizer School Board are up for election May 21. Candidate filing opens Saturday, Feb. 9, but several hopefuls have already said they intend to…
PHOTOS: Oregon community colleges highlight technical education programs for lawmakers
Chris Foltz, a chef instructor at the Oregon Coast Culinary Institute, carves a pelican from ice outside the Oregon Capitol on Feb. 1. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) With a drone, virtual welding simulations and responsive CPR dummies, Oregon’s 17 community colleges…
Chuck Lee seeks fourth term representing Keizer on school board
Chuck Lee is running for a fourth term on the Salem-Keizer School Board (Courtesy/Chuck Lee) Salem-Keizer’s longest-serving school board member announced Friday he intends to seek a fourth term. Chuck Lee, who has represented Keizer on the board since 2007,…
Judge denies St. Edward motion to toss Salem-Keizer eminent domain case
A Marion County judge on Wednesday said the Salem-Keizer School District’s lawsuit to acquire a Keizer church’s land through eminent domain can move forward. Marion County Circuit Court Judge David Leith denied a motion from St. Edward Catholic Church to…
In East Salem, volunteers search for homeless people often overlooked
The sun was just starting to warm the mostly empty Winco parking lot on Lancaster Drive when Kris Hardy approached a station wagon parked along the side of the store. Inside, a woman sat behind the steering wheel in sweats,…
Salem health officials, schools prepare as measles outbreak spreads to Portland
Salem Hospital began asking patients about measles exposure last week due to an ongoing outbreak in the Vancouver area. (Caleb Wolf/Special to Salem Reporter) Salem health officials are urging people to make sure they’re vaccinated against measles due to an…
Salem YMCA borrowing money to kick off fall construction on new gym
The gym and track at the downtown Salem YMCA. (Rachel Alexander/Salem Reporter) Salem’s YMCA is scaling back plans for a new building and turning to borrowed money to begin construction this year after early fundraising efforts came up short. Leaders…