Columbia wins copyright infringement suit, while Erickson Inc. struggles to stay afloat.
OREGON BUSINESS
— Columbia Sportswear has won its infringement suit against San Diego-based Serius Innovation Accessories. Serius copied Columbia’s patented Omni-Heat technology. Columbia will now move forward to determine damages. The outdoor apparel company intends to seek any profits made from the infringed product sales. The Oregonian has more.
— Portland’s helicopter company Erickson Inc. is struggling. The company may plan another round of layoffs at the same time its stock faces delisting from the NASDAQ for insufficient market capitalization. The Oregonian reports Well Fargo, the primary lender, also wants the company to find new funding. The bank reportedly thinks Erickson is too risky to continue funding. Erickson hasn’t earned a profit since 2013.
— Just a week after “Late Week Tonight” host John Oliver poked fun at The Oregonian for its lack of substance, the paper released a hefty, multi-media package examining the Canyon Creek fire and what led to the “wildfire catastrophe.” The O’s watchdog team allege forest officials mismanaged the fire which caused the most private property damage in the last 80 years, and burned more than 110,000 acres in Eastern Oregon. Read the piece here.
— Salem health food store LifeSource Natural Foods was named top in the nation by TheDailyMeal.com, which ranked the top 11 health food stores. LifeSource was pitted against stores including Trader Joes and Whole Foods. The food and drink website named LifeSource for its “dedication to providing an abundant variety of organics, locally grown and produced foods, and chemical- and preservative-free options, as well as safe and natural body care and beauty products.” Read more from the Statesman Journal.
— Bend has spent the past several years working toward a reputation as a tourist destination, but now that the city has reaches success, residents are less than pleased. The Bend Bulletin reports the City Club of Central Oregon will host a forum to weigh the pros and cons of a burgeoning tourism industry. This summer, an average of 20,000 tourists stop by the city a day.
— The U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials boosted Eugene’s air traffic by more than 11% last month. But the Register Guard reports that’s not the only contributor to the airport’s path to a passenger record: United Airlines increased the size of plane used in Eugene allowing for additional passengers. This upward trend puts the Eugene Airport on track to break 1 million passengers by year end.
NATIONAL NEWS
— Still reeling from public scrutiny after another autopilot accident, Tesla has removed “autopilot” and self-driving” from its websites. Reuters reports Tesla claims the term removals are unrelated to recent events. The website now reads “self-assisted driving.”
— As the only fast food restraurant in the Olympic Village, McDonald’s has snagged the role of most popular restaurant for competing athletes. Since the food is free for athletes, and coaches, employees report the orders can get extreme: think debating between 10 or 12 Big Macs. The Washington Post has more.
