It’s been 40 years since the Portland Trail Blazers made their official NBA debut after being purchased for $3.7 million. Decades later, the franchise has powered through several rough patches – from poor seasons to trouble with the law – with its reputation as a beloved Portland brand intact. Now facing the recession, not to mention a wave of injuries, the Trail Blazers are pushing forward and arguably stronger than ever.
Like Oregon, New Zealand has about 4 million residents, gorgeous beaches and a large and (let’s face it) obnoxious neighbor intent on dominating the regional economy. If you think Oregonians have a bias against California, try talking to a Kiwi about Australia.

The good news about the Portland metro area’s dismal retail scene is that vacancies will rise only slightly this year. The bad news isn’t too hard to figure out: high unemployment will continue to keep the lid on any robust recovery. “The outlook for 2010 is subdued,” says real estate expert Tony Cassie. “We’re starting to come out of it, but we’re not going to really come out of it until job numbers improve.”
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There was a time when constantly checking Twitter updates at work would put you on the fast track for disciplinary action. But for many businesses these days, it might actually be advantageous to devote some work time to exploring the potential of social media and how it can help you understand your business, while also keeping an eye on the competition. Scoping out your rivals’ Facebook friends could help more than you think.

Oregonians are driving less, spending less on food, saving less for retirement and working less compared to their neighbors in Idaho and Washington. As pollster Adam Davis says about his recent findings: “When the economy is bad it tends to be worse in Oregon.”
read more »Gov. Ted Kulongoski signs a bill placing limits on the costly Business Energy Tax Credit.
read more »Damaged Chilean sawmills and plywood plants provide an unexpected boost to the state's timber companies.
read more »EcoTrust announces its first deal to sell carbon credits from its Olympic Peninsula property.
read more »Klamath Basin farmers will see their normal irrigation cut by more than half to save salmon.
read more »The city of Eugene will cut jobs and reduce hours in an effort to relieve the $445 million budget.
read more »| Ivan Kelly Studio-Gallery of Fine Art www.ivankelly.com Category: Small business Created: Mar 10, 2010 |
| Ivan Kelly Gallery-Studio of Fine Art www.ivankelly.com Category: Retail Created: Mar 10, 2010 |
| Encodex Technologies Inc. www.encodextech.com Category: High tech Created: Mar 10, 2010 |
Please join Lane Powell for their 27th Annual Labor & Employment Seminar as they team with Oregon Business’s 2010 “100 Best Companies to Work For in Oregon.” The seminar will be held on Wednesday, March 31, at the Governor Hotel. Registration at 7:30 a.m.; Program is held from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Reigning Portland Iron Chef Adam Sappington (The Country Cat) will take the stage to defend his title against contender Chef Andrew Garrett (Cafe Nell) and the culinary artistry begins. You’ll wait in anticipation as the panel of esteemed judges evaluates the dishes and finally reveals the name of who will reign supreme as the new Portland Iron Chef! Support for this event plays a critical role in allowing Children’s Relief Nursery to continue its work with vulnerable children in our community. Join the fun Saturday, May 22, at the Hilton Grand Ballroom.
Join the Center for Women, Politics & Policy for a conversation with Dr. Regina Lawrence & Dr. Melody Rose as they share their thoughtful analysis and insights into Hillary Clinton’s historic run for the White House.
Pacific University formally installed and charged Lesley M. Hallick, Ph.D., as its 17th president in an inauguration ceremony on Thursday, March 4 at the Forest Grove campus.
Oregon Business magazine’s 17th annual 100 Best Companies to Work For in Oregon list is complete and the winners have been announced.
The Challenge: Control health insurance cost increases while continuing to meet employee coverage expectations.