There is no doubt the restaurant industry has been particularly hard hit during the pandemic. As part of the American Recovery Plan, $28.5 billion has been used to establish a “restaurant revitalization fund.”
Oregon fines diner with 2 locations $35K over COVID-19 rules
NEW YORK — Just as President Joe Biden is pushing to raise taxes on companies to help pay for his infrastructure plan, a report from a Washington policy group is highlighting how many firms pa…
Picture cruising your car deep into 2021 and never glancing in the rearview mirror. Vaccines, travel and a hope of normalcy are finally on the horizon.
SALEM — Oregon OSHA announced it has fined a Medford coffee shop $9,250 and a Grants Pass $17,900 for COVID-19 violations.
NEW YORK — In addition to its trading cards, fans soon will be able to trade company shares of Topps.
BEND — Oregon Occupational Safety and Health has fined a Bend coffee shop more than $27,000 for violating three standards meant to protect employees from the coronavirus disease.
CORVALLIS — Hemp already is touted for its healthful and therapeutic benefits in humans.
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is moving to sharply increase offshore wind energy along the East Coast, saying Monday, March 29, it is taking initial steps toward approving a huge wind …
PORTLAND — You can’t blame John Helmer for being a sunny optimist. The third-generation proprietor of John Helmer Haberdasher in downtown Portland will celebrate the family store’s 100th birth…
In honor of National Ag Week, March 21-27, I’d like to share a few things I’ve learned while working for Oregon Farm Bureau since 2004.
With nearly two-thirds of the United States abnormally dry or worse, the government’s spring forecast offers little hope for relief, especially in the West where a devastating megadrought has …
Contractor fined $74K over asbestos-tainted debris
CASHMERE, Wash. — After more than 100 years in business, Liberty Orchards Co., the Washington state maker of Aplets & Cotlets fruit candies, has announced it will permanently close June 1.
WASHINGTON — Oregon U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz announced he voted in favor of House of Representatives bill 1603 — the Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2021, which passed the House with bipartis…
ENTERPRISE — Eagle Cap Wellness, offering acupuncture and other non-traditional health care, is operating at a new location.
Many people want to remain in their homes after they retire rather than move to a senior living facility or community. Unfortunately, most homes aren’t set up to help us age safely and affordably.
PHILOMATH — When Dave Holderread, one of the world’s leading waterfowl breeders, announced in 2019 he would retire in 2020, it shook the poultry and waterfowl communities.
Man pleads guilty in $12M grass seed fraud schemes
PORTLAND — Finding locally grown fresh food Oregon just became easier.
JOHN DAY — The state has agreed to settle a Grant County-based lawsuit halting coronavirus relief money for Black Oregonians.
Receipts, like memories, tend to fade with time. That’s just one reason to digitize and track tax-related information. The right apps and habits can save space, time, money and hassle — but on…
MONSTER, Netherlands — Dutch cress grower Rob Baan has enlisted high-tech helpers to tackle a pest in his greenhouses: palm-sized drones seek and destroy moths that produce caterpillars that c…
SALEM — After Republicans bolted from the 2020 legislative session and once again killed Oregon’s controversial bill to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, a frustrated Gov. Kate Brown issued a…
Republican state lawmakers are pushing for social media giants to face costly lawsuits for policing content on their websites, taking aim at a federal law that prevents internet companies from…
SALEM — Scores of beloved Oregon businesses permanently shut their doors during the pandemic, unable to endure the prolonged downturn as safety restrictions limited business — or customers sim…
Death and taxes may be the only certainties in life, but death taxes are only a remote possibility for most people. The vast majority of Americans won’t ever have or give away enough to owe es…
SALEM — Oregon legislators Tuesday, Feb. 23, introduced House Bill 3296, dubbed the Addiction Crisis Recovery Act, which would increase the state’s beer tax by 2,800% and wine tax by 1,700%.
PORTLAND — The Oregon Tourism Commission, which does business as Travel Oregon, awarded $913,000 to 34 projects across the state. More than $125,000 went to five projects in Eastern Oregon.
Man accused in $15M grass seed money laundering schemes
Businesses that have not yet applied for the first or second draw of the Paycheck Protection Program need to do so before March 3.
State fines Florence cafe nearly $18K over COVID-19 rules
I placed more online orders than I can count in 2020. And I justified all of them.
LA GRANDE — The Union County Chamber of Commerce and La Grande Main Street have teamed up with local businesses to encourage safe shopping and provide opportunities for prizes as spring moves closer.
CANBERRA, Australia — Facebook announced Tuesday that it would lift a ban on Australians viewing and sharing news on its platform after it struck a deal with the government on proposed legisla…
SILVER SPRING, Md. — The seemingly unstoppable rise of Bitcoin continued Tuesday, Feb. 16, with the cost of a single unit of the digital currency rising above $50,000 for the first time.
Intel sues engineer who joined Microsoft over trade secrets
PULLMAN, Wash. — At this time of year, wheat farmers should pay attention to the pace of exports, a Northwest ag economist says.
LA GRANDE — Eastern Oregon University’s latest presentation in its colloquium series focuses on hop-picking cultures in Oregon, Washington and northern California from the late 19th century th…
Whether leading a small or large project, there are key ingredients to success. First, the scope of the project as well as a clearly defined outcome must be determined and understood by the st…
SALEM — Law enforcement agencies could assist Oregon farm regulators with inspections of hemp crops under a bill that’s intended to thwart illegal marijuana operations.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Here’s one more thing the coronavirus pandemic has ruined for at least some people: betting on the Super Bowl.
SALEM — Oregon began vaccinating teachers for COVID-19 on Monday, Jan. 25, but farmworkers and other workers considered to be essential will have to wait until May under the state’s latest schedule.
EUGENE — Abby’s Legendary Pizza has been purchased by Lone Rock Resources, according to a joint press release both companies sent last week.
YAKIMA, Wash. — The coronavirus pandemic factored into the Pacific Northwest cherry industry grossing more than $1 billion for the first time last year, but Little Cherry Disease and China tar…
PepsiCo and Beyond Meat are creating a joint venture to develop snacks and drinks made from plant-based proteins.
BEND — Adaptability has proven to be a key asset during the global pandemic. Schools have gone online, real estate agents do Zoom home tours, and bars now sling to-go cocktails. Quietly behind…
Shutdowns, layoffs and salary cuts brought on by the coronavirus pandemic have left millions of Americans searching for new sources of income. Those who’ve recently turned to gig work may be w…
Families battered by the pandemic recession soon may discover that the tax refunds they’re counting on are dramatically smaller — or that they actually owe income tax. Congress offered a parti…
La Grande conducting business survey
LA GRANDE — The demolition of a building in May 2019 at the La Grande/Union County Airport resulted in three fines in December 2020 for mishandling asbestos removal, including one penalty agai…
LOS ANGELES — Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit reached space on Sunday, Jan. 17, eight months after the first demonstration flight of its air-launched rocket system failed, the company said.
BALTIMORE — When Joe Biden entered the White House as vice president, the economy was cratering. Job losses were mounting. Stocks were crashing. Millions of Americans were in the early stages …
Setting money goals in 2020 was likely an exercise in futility. Maybe you’d been saving for a trip abroad, but the pandemic kept you at home. Or you wanted to save up for a down payment on a h…
LA GRANDE — Teri Champlin of La Grande is the new chair of the Grande Ronde Hospital and Clinics Board of Trustees.
STANFIELD — Settlement of a class action lawsuit on behalf of Stanfield residents against 3D Idapro Solutions is winding down.
