Economy
Hazardous conditions curtail travel in parts of the state
Snow and ice are hammering parts of the state, while temperatures warm in others, creating a mix of hazardous driving conditions. “It’s a little bit of everything,” said Bobbi Doan, spokesperson for the Office of Emergency Management. “Where they don’t have snow and ice, they have heavy rain.” The office issued a warning to the […]
Four Oregon counties garner $8 million for broadband, water and sewer projects in rural areas
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded more than $8 million to improve broadband, water and sewer services in Lane, Polk, Sherman and Wasco counties. The four projects, announced in December, are part of more than $5 billion in agency loans and grants designed to give people in rural America access to high-speed internet, clean […]
Snow, wind and ice shut parts of 10 highways in eastern Oregon
Early Monday, wind whipped through the Columbia River Gorge as snow fell and ice formed on Interstate 84. The Oregon Department of Transportation had about 20 people working on the freeway east of Troutdale, trying to clear it up. Plows pushed away snow while crews applied salt, de-icer and sand. But that wasn’t enough to […]
Women food entrepreneurs in Oregon get state help to develop business
Emily Moore is a longtime professional chef, with French cooking school credentials and fine dining experience, who whips up tasty concoctions on her farm in Applegate. She’d like to sell them to a wide market but she has one limitation: She’s not good at marketing. Her fig compote draws rave reviews, she said, and her […]
With China closed off as recycling outlet, Oregon puts task force to work on tightening laws
Buy a bottle of dish soap, a jug of milk or a takeout container of Chinese food, and you’ll find an embossed triangular symbol of three arrows around a number. The chasing arrows, a relic of recycling laws passed decades ago, would appear to indicate that an item could be dropped in a curbside recycling […]
Governor, health experts brace Oregonians for a serious impact from Omicron by February
In the past week, the Covid-19 outlook for Oregon shifted dramatically, with the state now facing the prospect of having the highest surge yet of infections and hospitalizations. A new forecast by Oregon Health & Science University indicates that more than 3,000 people would need to be hospitalized in Oregon by early February, surpassing the […]
Record employment posted in Oregon sectors, but recovery remains uneven
The Oregon Employment Department on Tuesday reported a record number of jobs in construction, wholesale trade and professional and business service sectors, but continued declines in employment at private hospitals, residential care facilities and in education. The monthly report is a snapshot, based on surveys sent to 7,000 businesses across the state that self-report their […]
Advocates call on small farmers to weigh in on processing plant grant program
Farmers raising small herds of beef cattle, pigs or other meat animals in Oregon may have an easier time processing their meat for sale at farmers markets or grocers under rules being considered by the state Agriculture Department. Advocates for small farms want to be sure the state is paying attention to their needs as […]
Oregon legislators extend eviction protection, approve $400 million for landlords, farmers
Thousands of Oregon renters who faced the threat of receiving an eviction notice for Christmas are safe after the Legislature voted Monday to extend a safe harbor period and allocate another $215 million toward stopping evictions. Along with providing more money, the chairs of the House and Senate housing committees sent Secretary of State Shemia […]
Oregon farmers and ranchers likely to see $100 million in fresh state relief
Oregon lawmakers on Monday will consider a disaster relief package of nearly $100 million to help Oregon farmers, ranchers and irrigation districts recover from two years of wildfires, ice, excessive heat and drought. The Oregon Legislature convenes in what is expected to be a one-day session originally set to consider increasing rent relief. But Gov. […]
With thousands facing eviction from their homes, Oregon Legislature coming to the rescue
Salem resident Christy Hernandez wants Oregon legislators to know the state failed her. In March, the mother of three young boys wrote to lawmakers urging them to give families like hers more time to catch up on back rent tand protect them from eviction as they struggled with pandemic-caused job losses. That legislation ultimately passed, […]
A lack of affordable housing, child care holding Oregon back, agency says
Oregon’s latest economic forecast paints a rosy picture of the state’s recovery. Wages have grown and household spending is strong. In a year, employment is expected to be fully recovered. But not everyone is enjoying a robust recovery, which is something Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency, aims to fix. This summer it secured […]