TriMet service languishes in extreme heat, Lattice CEO blames Trump for stalled deal and another dam bites the dust.
TriMet is offering free bus and light rail rides during today’s heat wave — assuming MAX trains are up and running. The transit agency began experiencing network outages yesterday even before temperatures topped 90 degrees. The computer system issues were compounded by the hot weather, which forces MAX trains to slow down. The agency will not check fares today as temperatures are expected to reach 105 degrees. Read more from the Oregonian.
As a daily MAX commuter, I’ve experienced first hand the deleterious impacts of heat on train operations. I contacted a few transit agencies in cities that know from heat to see how their systems fare.
Valley Metro Rail (in Phoenix) is designed to withstand extreme weather conditions, specifically extreme heat at temps over 110 degrees, said Susan Tierney, Valley Metro communications manager. “We are one of the only systems that regularly operate in these temperatures,” she said.
Tierney said the key lies in the cooling system, which uses air conditioning to keep trains up and running.
Look for more coverage on heat and transit systems later today on OB.com.
Lattice CEO blames ‘China bashing’ for stalled deal. By now we all know Lattice Semiconductor is being sold to a Chinese-backed company. But the $1.3 billion deal hasn’t budged an inch for the last nine months. CEO Darin Billerbeck tells the Portland Business Journal “bashing China” and vacancies on the Treasury Department’s Committee on Foreign Investment are to blame.
Another dam bites the dust. The 107-year-old Cline Falls Dam near Redmond is being demolished this week. The dam has been shuttered and its removal will make fish travel easier. The Bend Bulletin has more.
Port of Astoria wants to leave North Tongue Point. The Port plans to terminate its 10-year lease of the property early and allow Hyak Maritime to purchase the formal naval base. The Daily Astorian has the story.
Rockwood development lands $2 million in funding. Rockwood Rising will receive state funding thanks to lobbying by Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson during the recent legislative session. The private-public mixed-use development will cost about $40 million. Learn more from the Gresham Outlook.
Union back on table at Precision Castparts. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers is trying to organize a subgroup of welders who work at the aerospace manufacturer. The last union bid at Precision took place in 2013 when 2,300 workers were asked to unionize. Workers rejected the proposal. The Oregonian has more.
From the Magazine: “Staffing agencies plug in the millennial worker.” OB’s Kim Moore reports on ways in which the gig economy and young workers are forcing changes in staffing industry.
