Gov. Kate Brown targets gun violence, while Adidas struggles to maintain collegiate contracts.
OREGON NEWS
— The 2016 Republican National Convention gets underway today. Here’s everything you wanted to know about the Oregon GOP in Cleveland.
— Gov. Kate Brown announced two executive orders Friday in an attempt to curb gun violence. She ordered the Oregon State Police to maintain a 5-year database for firearm transactions, and ordered state police to notify local agencies if someone prohibited from buying a gun attempts to do so. The Governor also discussed the need for more information, ordering the Oregon Health Authority to issue gun death reports annually. She also intends to close loopholes in legislation, making it harder to purchase a gun. Read more from OPB.
— Mayor Charlie Hales announced a massive cleanup on the Springwater Trail, after which homeless people will no longer be allowed to camp. About 500 people live along the trail connecting Portland to Gresham. Hales said the city will try to find short-term accommodations for those who will be displaced by the cleanup efforts. The Oregonian has more.
— Adidas has recently lost bids with UCLA, Michigan and Wisconsin due in part to outbidding by competitors. The company reportedly issued its biggest offer yet to keep UCLA but was outbid by Under Armour. This battle of the brands has been an ongoing problem for Adidas. The Portland-headquarted athletic company had announced an effort to double its number of college partners, but rising contract costs and ongoing competition are creating a challenge. The Portland Business Journal reports the company will reevaluate how it approaches these partnerships.
— Bellatrix, based in Bend, will soon release its first smart light switch shipment. Known as Brightswitch, the switch controls household lights via Wi-Fi but can also learn habits and preferences, as well as stream music and partner with other smart devices. Read more from the Bend Bulletin.
— Hillsboro-based SolarWorld could face a $770 million judgement after a judge granted a summary judgement for Hemlock Semiconductor, which filed the suit. Hemlock provides polysilicon to SolarWorld, a key material on solar panels. Hemlock accused SolarWorld of violating a contract to purchase their products. SolarWorld has said it will appeal any judgement. The Portland Business Journal has more.
— Eugene has become a “yo-yo destination,” thanks to the high-end manufacturer One Drop Design. One Drop is one of the few U.S. manufacturers left creating yo-yos state-side. Unlike the traditional toy, these yo-yos range in price from less than $100 to more than $300. The Register-Guard has more.
NATIONAL NEWS
— As home prices continue to rise, many fear a bubble is near. But Bloomberg reports that real estate isn’t in a bubble like the 2005 market. Instead, prices are rising due to a low inventory. The housing bubble was caused by too many homes on the market, and loose credit. Today’s market is nearly the opposite.
— U.K. ARM Holdings will be purchased by Japan’s SoftBank for $32 billion. ARM is responsible for many of the chips essential to today’s technology. Read more from the BBC.
