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.
Salem schools may get weapons detectors following Bush’s Pasture Park shooting
Police and school district security workers said at a Monday forum for parents that they had little information yet about what motivated the shooting involving multiple South Salem students last week.
YOUR GOVERNMENT: School board approves classified contract, appoints Lisa Harnisch open seat
The Salem-Keizer School Board on Tuesday will select a new board member representing west Salem after Osvaldo Avila resigned last month.
South Salem High cancels after-school events following anxiety over online threats
School district officials said a small number of vague threats against schools circulated rapidly online, prompting panic the day after a shooting near South Salem High School.
What to know about Salem’s housing, rental markets in 2024
Average asking rents in the Salem area have increased 22% in five years, and the city ranks among the worst in the U.S. for the affordability of buying a house.
Salem Center mall sells to local owners
Salem Center’s new owners say they want to invest in the property and recruit a mix of local and national tenants to meet community needs, which could include a grocery store, entertainment or local restaurants.
Oregon School for the Deaf sends 2 finalists to state poetry recitation championship
Seniors Traiton Kramer and Brayden Olsen will represent Oregon School for the Deaf at the state Poetry Out Loud competition in Salem this weekend, signing poems in American Sign Language.
Meet the man who makes Oregon’s Senate work
Obie Rutledge, who was sworn in as secretary of the Oregon Senate this month, is known around the Capitol as a "rules nerd," combining speed-reading prowess with a friendliness toward all.
What to know about teacher union negotiations, strike possibilities for Salem-Keizer schools
Teacher union leaders and school district administrators are still negotiating, despite teachers declaring last week that progress had stalled. Both sides submitted final offers to a state mediator on Thursday, Feb. 22.
Salem-Keizer reaches tentative agreement with classified union
Classified workers in the Salem-Keizer School District would receive a 14.75% raise over three years if members and the school board approve a contract. The deal is separate from the district’s negotiations with the teacher union.
EVENTS: What’s on stage and on the track in Salem this weekend
Events this weekend in Salem include a roller derby tripleheader, an eclipse-focused planetarium show and other live entertainment.