Rail fight gets hotter
The battle over the Central Oregon and Pacific Railroad is turning into a full-bore train wreck as the conflict jumps from Oregon to Washington, D.C, and back. more >
Oregon keeps on trucking despite fuel costs
Despite diesel fuel prices almost 90% higher than a year ago, Oregon’s employment in truck transportation followed its typical seasonal pattern during the past 12 months. more >
The $4.2 billion question
Answers are few and the clock is ticking as the project to replace the I-5 bridge over the Columbia starts looking for billions of dollars in funding. more >
Trucking levels out as fuel costs leap
Oregon tax receipts paid by truckers remained fairly level for the year ended May 2008, declining by just a tenth of a percent, the same as the prior 12 months, after double-digit growth in 2004 and 2005. more >
Downtown Redmond freed from traffic
After $90 million, a decade of planning and over a year’s worth of construction, a reroute of Highway 97 around downtown Redmond finally is complete more >
Fuel prices hit trucking
In the words of Oregon Trucking Association president Bob Russell, state truckers are “painfully” grappling with soaring diesel prices. more >
Scoot on over to a better gas bill
Once upon a time, gas was relatively inexpensive and behemoth, gas-guzzling vehicles were all the rage. Dinosaurs once roamed the earth, too. more >
Highway 20 project still sputtering
Construction on a stalled $150 million effort to straighten Highway 20 between Newport and Corvallis could be inching forward. But even if the state and the project’s contractors can agree on changes for the contentious project, the coastal region’s narrow June-to-August construction window would limit the work that could be done this year. more >
PDX bridge building
In early July, Portland-area government agencies will finalize the path of a $1.25 billion-$1.4 billion public transportation project that would extend light rail from downtown Portland to Milwaukie via a bridge over the Willamette River somewhere between the Marquam and Sellwood bridges. more >
Where did they go? What does it matter that Oregon hasn't seen an IPO for years?
Down the line The future of the seafood industry rests with leaders such as Pacific Seafood’s Frank Dulcich, and his ability to balance strong-willed business tactics with collaboration.
Economist Tim Duy tempers state's optimism How will Oregon weather the economic storm in comparison to the rest of the nation? This question is at the top of the list for local policymakers and firms.
Car dealers collapse as sales drive off a cliff At first glance, the car lot in outer Southeast Portland looks like all the others nearby, plentifully stocked with “Dealer’s Specials” and “Fresh Start Financing” deals.
Q&A with Jeff Merkley on business Shortly after he defeated Republican Gordon Smith in early November, U.S. Senator-elect Jeff Merkley caught his breath just long enough to talk briefly about how he would address the challenges facing Oregon businesses.
Telecom suffers and shrinks The loss of 100 Oregon jobs from Denver-based Qwest, part of 1,200 jobs the telecom company said it would cut nationwide by year’s end, is another blow to an already shrinking job sector in Oregon.
Goodies can’t hold Hynix or Freightliner The meticulously designed SolarWorld facility that has brought hundreds of new jobs to Hillsboro did not come for free.
Bottle bill changes uncork opposition When Oregon became the first state in the nation to pass a bottle bill in 1971, the program built swiftly into a success, with a recovery rate of more than 90%.
The boxer rebellion If ever there was a persuasive reason to start a men’s underwear shop in downtown Portland, Steven Lien thinks he has it. “Women,” he observes, “are tired of seeing guys in bad underwear.”
Next: A meth map When store employees ask for your zip code, they’re gathering data to map your travel and spending patterns so they can plan future store locations.
Trimming the office party without cutting the fun Company holiday celebrations are an expression of employee appreciation and just because business may be down for the year and cutbacks loom, that doesn’t mean you should ditch the party.
