Wyden blasts GOP healthcare bill, Coolest Cooler settles with DOJ and Troutdale industrial park gets another tenant.
Healthcare bill devastating, Oregon lawmakers say
A Congressional Budget Office report found the Senate GOP healthcare bill would cause 22 million to lose their insurance. The impacts would hit hard in rural Oregon, where four in 10 residents use the Oregon Health Plan. Premiums would increase $749 annually on average, and Sen. Ron Wyden said the bill would be a major hit to Medicaid expansion here. Check out the story from the Register Guard.
Coolest Cooler still in hot water
The popular Kickstarter project settled with the Oregon Department of Justice. Coolest has promised to deliver to 873 customers with complaints to the DOJ by October 13. But more than 19,000 customers will still have to wait. The Oregonian has more.
Should Ted Wheeler take over PPS?
We asked ourselves that question after reading this New York Times article about mayoral control of New York City public schools. The article quotes Shael Polakow-Suransky, the president of Bank Street College of Education, who says governance by elected school boards is “one of the pathologies of the American education system.” School boards are apparently especially weak at managing poverty issues in public schools. PPS, of course, is still a district in search of a superintendent.
Troutdale industrial park gets another new tenant
The city is still riding high on the news that Amazon will build a fulfillment center in the Troutdale Reynolds Industrial Park. Now civic boosters have more cause to celebrate. Clayco Realty Group purchased 19 acres for $5.2 million with the intent to house up to four additional manufacturing or distribution companies. Read more from the Gresham Outlook.
SureID layoffs now total 300
In the past two months, the Hillsboro tech company has laid off about 300 employees. The company announced last week that 97 more employees would join the 200 who received notice in May, according to the Hillsboro Tribune. SureID attributes the cuts to changes in business needs, but the company began layoffs shortly after losing a large Naval contract.
Puppet hires new diversity leader
The Portland tech industry has committed to a variety of diversity initiatives over the past year. The latest news comes from Puppet, one of Portland’s fastest growing software companies. The company has hired Tanya Webb as its first manager of diversity and inclusion. During a OB Hot Topics panel discussion in April, Puppet’s new chief of staff Tom Broderick talked about the importance of inclusion. Read more about the new position from the Oregonian.
Warrenton Kia dealership seeks fish passage exemption
The dealership wants to expand its parking lot, but needs to cover up a tributary to do so. ODFW officials say the waterway isn’t important to fish passage, but that doesn’t mean the public will let the exemption pass smoothly. The Daily Astorian has more.
From the Magazine: Retirement View
Former Portland Clinic CEO Mike Schwab reflects on five decades in the health care biz and life after work.
