Funds for toxic cleanup uncertain
This summer a national group proclaimed a victory of sorts in Portland’s perpetual struggle to clean up contaminated industrial land along the Willamette River. more >
Urban-rural wage gap is steady
The often-cited widening gap between urban and rural wages actually has remained unchanged over the past decade, while both urban and rural wages are slipping compared to their counterparts nationwide. more >
Oregon banks continue slide
In the March issue of Oregon Business we quoted the Beatles in regard to the recent fortunes of Oregon-headquartered banks: “It’s getting better all the time (can’t get much worse).” more >
Q&A with Paddle Palace CEO
n 1971, at the age of 15, Judy Bochenski joined a team of “ping pong diplomats” on a trip to China that helped pave the way for President Nixon’s breakthrough state visit a year later. more >
State slams FERC’s LNG approval
In mid September, federal officials approved a controversial liquid natural gas project located on the Columbia River and in doing so set the stage for a potential legal battle between the state of Oregon and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. more >
No reel improvement
Independently run theaters that charge less than the big boys don’t seem to be reaping the benefits of more moviegoers with less cash to spend in the down economy. more >
Housing market still hurting
When it comes to Oregon’s sluggish Metro housing markets, there is a painful difference between approaching the bottom and reaching it. more >
PSU get record grant
The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation in September awarded a $25 million challenge grant to Portland State University, the largest in the university’s history, and the largest ever awarded by the foundation. more >
The new plastics
Each year more students graduate from Oregon colleges. But with the economy struggling and a glut of graduates, finding a job can be more difficult than any final exam. more >
Air service returns to 2 rural towns
Rural communities around the state suffered this summer from a round of cuts to air service, but fall is bringing a little relief as United Airlines/Skywest Airlines this month begins service between Portland and both Klamath Falls and North Bend-Coos Bay. more >
State energy officials tilting at windmills
Concerned about a proliferation of wind farms just small enough to fall outside of its jurisdiction, the state Department of Energy has notified Harney County that it wants to examine several recently approved wind-generation projects. more >
Don’t ask; read my Twitter
In early September, Inverge — an “interdisciplinary thought-leader event” as organizers call it — took place in the Gerding Theater in Portland’s Pearl District. more >
