Moyer makes offer to PDC

As the Portland Development Commission prepares to make a decision for its new office location, developer Tom Moyer puts his long-stalled, 32-story office tower in downtown Portland on the table.

Moyer's TMT Development Co. is offering to cover all moving costs if the PDC decides to occupy Moyer's tower, in addition to charging rent only slightly higher than what PDC pays in Old Town.

If the commission commits to move in, TMT executives say they will restart construction and remove the eyesore of a construction project at 700 S.W. Ninth Ave. that's been frozen in rebar since April 2009.

The move would increase the PDC's annual rent costs by less than $37,500, on average, over the 10-year term compared to the offer from its current landlord, said Scott Andrews, PDC chairman. He said that's just a few percentage points higher than the best proposal offered by the commission's current landlord, Kalberer Co.

Read the full story at OregonLive.com.

DiLorenzo for governor?

Well-connected attorney and lobbyist John DiLorenzo says he'll consider an independent bid for governor, potentially mixing up a race currently dominated by well-known Democrats and less experienced Republican candidates.

DiLorenzo says the current frontrunners don't have the lobbying skills or solid policy ideas and plans that he could bring to the governorship.

DiLorenzo, known primarily for helping Republican candidates get funding and for defending lawmakers caught up in ethics complaints, said his legal and political skills would make him a serious contender.

"I understand that 'lobbyist' is kind of a pejorative term," DiLorenzo said. "But what we have missed in our governors are governors with lobby skills, being able to reach out and pull both sides together."

Read the full story at OregonLive.com.

SOU students sign up in record numbers

5,383 students enrolled at Southern Oregon University for the upcoming term — the school's highest spring-term head count ever.

The bad economy and increasing numbers of students from California seeking lower tuition are among the factors driving the record enrollment numbers.

The count, which includes all students, even if they're taking one class, is a 2.7% increase over spring a year ago.

The university reported a 4.1% jump in full-time equivalent enrollment compared to spring last year, for an FTE of 3,938. This is the highest FTE since 2003.

Read the full story at the Mail Tribune.

PDX indie theater expands cross-country

Portland independent cinema upstart Living Room Theaters will soon be playing to an East Coast audience in Boca Raton, Florida.

The independent theater plans to open a new movie complex on the Florida Atlantic University campus this fall.

The theater, part of a $19 million complex that also features classrooms and offices, would be used by film students during the day, then become a venue for the kind of independent and foreign films Living Room specializes in on nights and weekends. But, unlike at its Portland sibling, no alcohol will be served.

"The university is hoping to build up cultural life on campus, and it creates a captive audience for us," [co-owner Diego Rimoch] said. "It's a win-win situation."

Read the full story at OregonLive.com.

Big business backs Kitzhaber

John Kitzhaber is handily winning the race for campaign donations against fellow Democrat gubernatorial candidate Bill Bradbury.

Kitzhaber has received major support from big businesses like Nike and Kroger, who have donated $20,000 and $12,000, respectively.

The former governor has raised $1.23 million and is sitting on a $431,241 cash balance as the primary enters its final weeks. Bradbury has reported raising $455,911 and holding a cash balance of $58,372. Campaign cash can be critical in the final weeks of an election, paying for lawn signs, brochure mailings, phone banks, media ads and other tools important in getting out the vote.

Political scientist Jim Moore said Kitzhaber appears to be drawing on his deep ties to health care. He’s a former emergency room doctor whose signature accomplishment in Oregon was expanding government health coverage to the previously uninsured. Since leaving the governor’s office in 2003, he has established two nonprofit organizations that advocate for health-care policy.

Read the full story at The Register-Guard.