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.
Giant octopus display coming to library as Salem Reads programs kick off
Salem readers in February can dive into “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” a novel exploring the friendship between a mischievous captive octopus and the night cleaning woman at the aquarium where he lives.
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School board to vote on deputy superintendent contracts
Olga Cobb, who oversees elementary schools, and Danielle Neves, who oversees middle and high schools, could get new three-year contracts at a Jan. 13 meeting.
Updates on Cherriots tax plan, Eco-Earth, fire crisis team
In a new monthly feature, Salem Reporter is returning to past stories to report on updates.
School walk coordinator claims local government fired her for wearing Ruby Bridges shirt with racial slur
Beth Schmidt, the former Safe Routes to Schools Coordinator for the Salem area, claimed she was fired for wearing a t-shirt depicting a historic American painting of civil rights icon Ruby Bridges as she worked to organize an annual event in Bridges’ honor.
Willamette Art Center reopens in larger south Salem studio
Six months after closing shop at the state fairgrounds, low-cost ceramics classes and open studio time are back in a new Willamette Art Center location near the airport.
Salem’s biggest stories of 2025
Reactions to federal upheavals, shifts in health care access, community efforts to help feed people and a mass stabbing were among the major events in Salem in 2025.
TOP STORIES: Teaching kids to read, Macy’s history, high school firefighters
Managing Editor Rachel Alexander shares her favorite stories from 2025.
100 years ago, Christmas dinner in Salem meant 2,500 pounds of chicken
Salem’s Christmas newspapers from 1925 provide a glimpse into the life of a much smaller city, from a charity event at the Salem Armory to a surprise glut of Christmas Eve marriage licenses.
Teacher grants support 50 school projects, from jazz band to field trips
Maps Community Foundation representatives surprised local teachers ahead of winter break with a total of $50,000 in grants to fund field trips, classroom supplies and other projects.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Behind Salem Reporter’s coverage of a local immigration arrest
Managing Editor Rachel Alexander explains what goes into covering immigration arrests, and why journalists often can’t get basic information about federal government actions.