News

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Prime location next to the Hines Post Office! A new space, with private ADA restroom, two heat/air pumps and separate electrical services. Main room is 40’ x 20’ with back and front entrance, off street owner/employee parking and some utilities included. Click here to download the flyer.

The Expansive Harney County is Overflowing with Recreational Opportunity

Monday, January 20, 2020

The largest county in Oregon, Harney County, is made up of two beautiful communities- Burns and Hines. The diverse landscape of the area includes forests, deserts, lakes, streams and mountains, making it an excellent destination for those who seek a healthier lifestyle and outdoor recreation. The county is home to the Ochoco and Malheur National Forests, the large wetland of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, and the Alvord Desert. Hiking, fishing, hunting, camping, birdwatching and backpacking are only a few of the opportunities awaiting you here. The town of Burns is the county seat of Harney County and is known a...

Scenic Grant County is a Rural Idyll

Monday, January 13, 2020

Picturesque valleys and high alpine lakes and mountains make up the scenic Grant County of Eastern Oregon! Grant County includes the beautiful communities of John Day, Canyon City, Dayville, Granite, Long Creek, Mt. Vernon, Prairie City and Seneca. The expansive county is the size of Connecticut and is contained by the headwaters for the four forks of the John Day River. Rafting, kayaking, fly fishing, cross country skiing, hiking and road or mountain biking are only a few of the prominent activities to enjoy in the area. With a population of around 7,000, Grant County is the perfect size for man...

Surround Yourself with Beauty and History in Baker County

Monday, January 06, 2020

Baker County, located at the intersection of three Oregon Scenic Byways, is full of charming history and beauty! Baker County includes communities such as Baker City, Haines and Sumpter. This area is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. Surrounded by the Wallowa Mountains, Hells Canyon, the Powder River and the Elkhorn Mountains, the county has adventures to spare. The beautifully restored downtown area of Baker City boasts several buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. The county’s rich Gold Rush history is on display in multiple locations, including the informative National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center, the Baker Heritage Museum housed i...

Check Out All the Upcoming Events in the Area

Monday, December 30, 2019

If you’re looking for a simple way to see all the events happening in Eastern Oregon, check out our Events tab! Our easy to use system allows you to click on a county in Eastern Oregon. You will then be automatically directed to the county’s website for a comprehensive overview of what’s going on in that area. Choose from Grant County, Baker County, Harney County and Union County and see what each county has to offer in a snap. You’ll catch weekly activities as well as seasonal festivals. You won’t want to miss the John Day Farmers Market in Grant County...

All of the Access, None of the Congestion

Monday, December 23, 2019

Ideally situated at the intersection of several regional highways and I-84, Eastern Oregon equates to easy access for consumers and efficient movement of goods and services. The area is conveniently located to the Boise, Idaho metropolis. In fact, many businesses from Boise are considering relocation to Eastern Oregon to save money and yield growth. Major highways 30, 26 and 86 make the drive throughout the area a breeze. The Union Pacific Railroad and five local airports add to the region’s accessibility. Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC), one of Oregon's largest distribution cooperatives, has headquarters in Eastern Oregon and serves over 31,00...

Vacant Industrial Land is Waiting for You on Our Available Properties Resource

Monday, December 16, 2019

Visit our Available Properties resource to find vacant industrial land that’s just right for you. Market opportunities are thriving in Eastern Oregon. With our help, you can easily find properties already zoned for industrial out-right use that are conveniently located to I-84 and other high-traffic scenic highways. Our user-friendly database of available properties makes it simple to find what you’re looking for. Use the filter tool to chisel down the options to your exact price, size and location needs. Sort by city or county location, price, lot size, date added or zip code to narrow down your options and sav...

Briefly: OTEC scholarships available

Friday, December 13, 2019

BAKER CITY — Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative, with headquarters in Baker City, is now accepting applications for academic, trade school, lineman college and the Washington, D.C., Youth Tour scholarships. These educational opportunities are available to members and their families in Baker, Grant, Harney and Union counties. The academic scholarships are open to high school students, returning students and adults entering educational and technical programs. Four scholarships will go to the brand-new full-tuition OTEC-EOU Rural Scholarship Program, a partnership between OTEC and Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, open to students who commit to attend and graduate from Eastern Oregon University...

New hotel planned for John Day

Monday, December 09, 2019

A 60-room, $6 million hotel is coming to John Day. The project was announced to an overflow crowd at the John Day City Council and the planning commission meeting at the John Day Fire Hall. The hotel will be located near the Oregon Pine Property east of Patterson Bridge Road. The city plans to sell the 1.7 acres of land it owns at the site for $74,052 — $1 per square foot — to facilitate the deal. Read full article.

Oregon Ranks High on Recent Innovation Index

Monday, December 09, 2019

A recent Innovation Analysis ranked Oregon as highly successful in building an innovation-based economy. The research, performed by Business Oregon, measures the state’s innovation economy and pinpoints opportunities to further increase competitiveness. It places Oregon as 3rd out of all 50 states. Economic growth, higher wages and greater standards of living are by-products of states who rank high in innovation. For more market opportunities as well as faster growth and improved revenue, Eastern Oregon is the place to be. The state’s biggest strengths include invention, translation and economic prosperity. To read the article and more news like this, click here.

Oregon’s economy remains strong heading into the holiday season

Sunday, December 08, 2019

SALEM — It’s a good time to be a holiday shopper in Oregon. Despite fears of a recession earlier this year, Oregon’s economy remains stronger than much of the country. Unlike a decade ago, when the economy was reeling from a recession, Oregonians have jobs and money. That puts them in a better position to be generous this holiday season. Read full article.

Changing Taps

Saturday, December 07, 2019

Why the Craft Brew Alliance is shifting from craft beer to seltzer, spritz and a fresh start as an alcoholic beverage company The Widmer Brothers taproom at 955 North Russell Street in Portland is dark. Television screens are off, the tap-list board is empty, and just a handful of Widmer beers sit in the refrigerators behind the bar. The pub, once known as the Gasthaus, was closed in January by Widmer Brothers’ parent company, Craft Brew Alliance (CBA), which had other plans for it. Read full article.

Council sells industrial land

Saturday, December 07, 2019

The Baker City Council agreed to sell 14.28 acres in the Elkhorn View Industrial Park to Simplot AB Retail Inc., which plans to build a fertilizer storage and distribution plant on the site. The company will not be producing fertilizer on the property, said Paul Simpson, an operations manager for Simplot. Read full article.

The Producer

Friday, December 06, 2019

David Cress, producer of hit TV show Portlandia, explains how Oregon’s film industry has taken off and how it supports sectors all over the state. In 2005 Oregon’s film industry generated approximately $5 million in revenue and supported 200 Oregon jobs. Today the sector generates $200 million and 5,000 jobs. Shows like Portlandia and Grimm, along with movies such as Twilight have put Oregon on the map. Government incentives, combined with a strong local talent pool, continue to grow the industry. Read full article.

OREGON RAIN PUBLISHES 2019 ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM IMPACT REPORT

Thursday, December 05, 2019

Oregon RAIN has published its 2019 Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Impact Report. From the Oregon RAIN Website: Read full article.

Rejoice & Recycle

Wednesday, December 04, 2019

HAINES — Stacy Dinger is creating a winter wonderland one piece of junk mail at a time. Dinger is the postal clerk at the Haines Post Office. She decorates the space for every holiday season, and this year she wanted to try something different for the holidays. Read full article.

WHALES, STORMS AND BREWS ON THE PEOPLE’S COAST

Tuesday, December 03, 2019

Miles of kayak touring, crashing waves, crabbing, whale watching and award-winning brews await you at the Oregon Coast this winter. Take the journey down this 363-mile stretch of coastline, where your getaway can include quiet beaches, outdoor adventures and cozy retreats. Whale watching Head to the Oregon Coast to spy gray whales as they make their annual migration south during the winter months. Whale Watching Spoken Here places volunteers at 24 designated whale watching locations to help visitors spot these great gray giants. Lookouts include Fort Stevens State Park on the North Coast and Shore Acres State Park on the South Coast. On the Central Coast, join a whal...

Check Out Our Social Media Community and Find Your People

Monday, December 02, 2019

Keep up with a community of like-minded individuals by following us on social media! Having a tight-knit community is important, and thriving community is not hard to find in Eastern Oregon. Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts will give you a great taste of our regional community life. Local libraries and playground meet and greets for kids, cycling clubs, open-invite ski trips and hiking groups are only a few of the ways you can get involved. There’s something happening everywhere you look and our social media accounts will help keep you up to date. Celebrate at ...

State of Oregon to Help Small Businesses Grow Revenues via Exports

Monday, December 02, 2019

Business Oregon announced continued funding for its matching grant program that helps Oregon small businesses engage in export activities. The small grants are paired with expertise from agency staff to help navigate the path to exporting. Business Oregon is combining some state funds with a successful federal grant award of $750,000. "While large companies in industries like semiconductor, machinery, and commodity products drive total state trade numbers, it's small- and medium-sized firms where trade provides a terrific opportunity for business growth," said Business Oregon global strategies manager Amanda Welker. "That's where we can really make a difference with our export assistanc...

Study Aims to Improve Broadband in Oregon

Sunday, December 01, 2019

Business Oregon is conducting a statewide assessment of Oregon's current broadband infrastructure and service availability. The assessment will help drive public policy regarding gaps in broadband access, the need for state funding, and strategies for deploying broadband infrastructure statewide. Broadband is increasingly viewed as essential infrastructure for economic and community development. Earlier this year, the Oregon Broadband Office was established in statute with legislative directives to track the availability of broadband services and help make the business case for broadband investment in unserved and underserved areas to close Oregon's "digital divide." Read full article.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative is on social media and wants to help you ditch the hustle and bustle of the big city. In Eastern Oregon, you don’t have to miss out on all the perks of active city life. For outdoor lovers who decide it’s time to make a move, head to our Facebook page and see what you could be a part of! More info is just a click away. Take a look at our social media accounts and see all the opportunities Eastern Oregon has to offer firsthand. We have the unspoiled beauty of the great outdoors, an...

Building a Vibrant Entrepreneurial Community

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Voodoo Doughnuts co-founder Tres Shannon will be the featured speaker for the Fall Pub Talk at 6 p.m. on Oct. 24 at Side A Brewing & Firehouse Museum. Known for pink boxes and doughnuts that push the limits of edible art, Shannon will discuss his journey as an entrepreneur. The Entrepreneurship Club (eClub) at Eastern Oregon University hosts regular Pub Talks with entrepreneurs and business owners throughout the academic year. “One thing that is pivotal in the entrepreneurial community is for entrepreneurs to have heroes. People who have been there and done that and can show they started out jus...

CELEBRATE HIGH DESERT INNOVATION, CREATIVITY, & SMALL BUSINESS REGISTER TODAY FOR 2 GREAT EVENTS

Wednesday, October 02, 2019

CELEBRATE HIGH DESERT INNOVATION, CREATIVITY, & SMALL BUSINESS REGISTER TODAY FOR 2 GREAT EVENTS AT THE HISTORIC CENTRAL HOTEL 171 N BROADWAY, BURNS Thursday, October 17 | 6 p.m.–8 p.m. Opportunity Knocks: Celebrating Entrepreneurship Free of Charge & Open to the Public | Sweets & Savories Provided Let’s celebrate and grow our hometown business successes. Friday, October 18 | 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Building the Future of Harney County Only $40 | Includes Lunch, All Materials, & Treats Expand your leadership, innovation, and entrepreneurship skills. Register Today!

Miller's ready for new home

Tuesday, October 01, 2019

A business that has been around La Grande for decades has moved to a new location. Miller’s Home Center is almost finished with its move into its new home. The address is 3109 May Lane but access to the new facility is off Island Avenue. Take a turn opposite of Walton Road at the intersection near Walmart and you will see the business’ much larger store and warehouses open for business starting Tuesday. “We have had the dream (of a bigger store) for a long time,” Steve Colkitt, CEO and president, said. “The main thing is to service customers better, servic...

WORKSHOPS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday, October 01, 2019

WORKSHOPS AND UPCOMING EVENTS Click here to view upcoming workshops and events.

Blooming Business

Monday, September 30, 2019

Sheila Petty is working to bring beauty to Baker City with her new business, Blue Dahlia. Petty offers homegrown flowers, which she began selling at the Baker City Farmers Market. She cannot sell from her home property and plans to have a mobile flower truck to travel to markets and venues to sell her flowers. Read full article.

GRH honored for use of technology in patient care

Friday, September 27, 2019

Grande Ronde Hospital was awarded the Most Wired award by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives for 2019 for the integration of technology into its systems. GRH is a level 7, which means it uses technology to help analyze patient trends in addition to creating more effective and efficient care for patients. In 2018, the hospital changed its operating system to become more digitized with a patient-centered focus. This shift allowed for a person’s records to be viewable from any department in the hospital and included a new patient portal called MyChart. The Most Wired award is evidence of th...

Chamber Accepting Nominations For Annual Awards

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Each January, the Harney County Chamber of Commerce hosts a banquet to “honor Harney County’s finest” in a number of different categories. In past years, award recipients were selected by committees of past award-winners, which were formed for each category. This year, however, a different selection process will be used. Lola Johnson, the executive director of the chamber, explained that the chamber’s board of directors will make the selections. Nomination forms will be submitted to the chamber office, and the board will review them and make the decision. In an added twist, the board will only see the nominees’ accomplishments, not thei...

HISTORY: Lemons awarded for sesquicentennial ranch

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Kim Lemons and his wife, Carla, received a Sesquicentennial Award as owners of Ingle Butte Ranches in Mt. Vernon. The award was presented by the Oregon Century Farm & Ranch Program. “Our ranch is the oldest in Grant County,” Kim said. “We’re pretty tickled about the award.” The Lemons’ ranch was originally founded by Kim’s great-great-grandfather William Dana “W.D.” Ingle. Ingle’s daughter, Laura (Ingle) Lemons, and her husband, John Wesley Lemons, took ownership of the property. John Wesley arrived in Oregon in 1857, traveling by wagon train. The ranch was passed down to their son Brice Lemons and his wife, Inez, then to Denni...

Is Oregon’s Beer Bubble About to Burst?

Friday, September 20, 2019

With the state adding on average 27 new breweries annually, can consumers keep Oregon beered? A specter is haunting Oregon’s brewing industry: The state’s reputation as a frosty, frothy microbrew wonderland is still going strong, but a rash of closures has some worried the craft brew industry is in decline. Burnside Brewing, a nine-year veteran of Oregon’s brew culture abruptly bit the dust this year. Bridgeport Brewing, the state’s oldest operating brewery, also turned off its taps for good, citing declining sales since 2017. Forty breweries have shut doors in Oregon in the past five years, leading some commentators to say Oregon’s bee...

The Wellness Revolution

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The idea of wellness in the workplace isn’t exactly new, but there’s a reason it feels that way. Much of the credit for the growing interest in workplace wellness programs can be attributed to dedicated physicians, nutritionists, mental health and public health professionals working to quantify the positive effects of physical and mental well-being, and producing landmark studies on the subject which have caught the attention of employees and business owners alike. According to a 2012 Gallup State of the American Workplace study, employees who had high overall “well-being” had 41% reduced health-related costs compared with employees who had average well-being. They als...

New housing to cater to seniors

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

New housing is coming to La Grande for those age 55 and older. Elevation Pointe, to be constructed on the 400 block of 16th Street, will be a community of 21 condominiums and eight single-family homes. Infrastructure work on the site began six months ago, and construction of the dwellings is planned to begin in October, according to a press release. GCT Land Management is in charge of the project and owner Gust Tsiatsos is the general contractor. Tsiatsos said the active adult community will fill a residential housing gap in the region. Read full article.

Biz Tips: The Art of Persuasion

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Tips for getting your employees to change their behavior. I recently had an interesting coaching discussion with a client, strategizing about how to begin changing the culture within her organization. She's bright, well-educated and very experienced in her field. Like many senior executives, she truly wants to succeed. She wants her team to embrace and embody new cultural behaviors and values that are more positive and less prone to failure. She asked for my thoughts on how to begin her initiative and how to ensure people act accordingly. I started by asking for her thoughts on the best way to achieve her goals...

Final Innovation Gateway plan presented

Thursday, September 12, 2019

A final concept plan for John Day’s Innovation Gateway project was presented to a joint meeting of the city council, planning commission and two advisory committees. Following a tour of the former Oregon Pine mill and other parts of the project site, Ken Pirie, an urban planner with Walker Macy, recapped the project’s history and presented the resulting plans. Read full article.

Smoother Sailing

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

A previously bumpy part of the Baker City Airport has a fresh layer of blacktop thanks to federal and state grants. The $1.49 million project to rebuild the south apron at the city-owned airport didn’t require the city to spend any money from its general fund budget, said Michelle Owen, the city’s public works director. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) paid most the cost — about $1.34 million. The remaining $150,000 is from a state grant funded by taxes pilots pay on aviation fuel, Owen said. Read full article.

New Local Lodging

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Antone Creek Lodge, a family run RV park that’s the nearest overnight lodging to Anthony Lakes, opened earlier this summer in the Elkhorn Mountains. The park is owned and operated by Rich and Lori Daniels, who also own Rich’s Portable Cabins in North Powder, along with their daughter, Harmony. Antone Creek Lodge is along the Anthony Lakes Highway about 9 miles from Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort, with whom the business is a lodging partner. Although the ski area operates a couple of rental yurts, and a campground and guard station are open during the summer, there are no other overnight accommodations at th...

Innovation Without Borders

Tuesday, September 03, 2019

How cross-disciplinary collaboration has shaped, and continues to accelerate, Oregon’s business sector. There is no modern artist more counterfeited than Jackson Pollock. To anyone familiar with the abstract expressionist, it’s easy to see why. To the untrained eye, Pollock’s work can appear to be random colorful splotches on a canvas. Even to the refined viewer, it can be difficult to determine whether an abstract painting is a genuine Pollock or a forgery. In 2007 hedge fund manager Pierre Lagrange purchased what he believed to be a genuine Pollock at Knoedler & Co. gallery on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Four years later, afte...

A Global Forest

Monday, September 02, 2019

Fellows at the World Forestry Institute debut forest-preserving projects with global reverberations. When Richard Banda applied to the World Forestry Institute's International Fellowship program, he wanted to learn about the most efficient ways to prune trees native to Malawi. A forestry officer, Banda’s company is part of a reforestation project in Viphya Plantations, the largest forestry plantation in Malawi. “Malawi had one of the largest forest plantations in Africa, but once it was harvested, it was never replanted,” he says. “With 98% of people relying on fuel wood for cooking, pressure to harvest the country’s natural forests has increased.” Read full article.

The 2020 100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon survey is live!

Sunday, September 01, 2019

Sign up now for the 2020 100 Best Companies to Work for in Oregon survey. Registration is open for the 2020 100 Best Companies to Work For In Oregon project. Seize this opportunity to find out what your employees think about their workplace, and see how you rank. Read full article.

New forest supervisor brings new approach

Friday, August 02, 2019

Craig Trulock is the new forest supervisor for the Malheur National Forest. Pacific Northwest Regional Forester Glenn Casamassa announced Trulock’s selection had been effective since June 23. Trulock, who last served as deputy forest supervisor on the Rogue-River Siskiyou National Forest for five years, became the acting forest supervisor at the Malheur National Forest in November 2018. Steve Beverlin, the former forest supervisor on the Malheur National Forest, accepted the position of director of natural resources for the Intermountain Region in Ogden, Utah, in December 2018. Read full article.

Oregon Ranks High in Latest Innovation Analysis

Thursday, August 01, 2019

Business Oregon released its analysis of different states' success in building an innovation-based economy. The report, Oregon Innovation Index, ranks Oregon as 3rd, behind only research powerhouse states California and Massachusetts. The Oregon Innovation Index is a research report created by Business Oregon to measure the state's innovation economy and identify opportunities to enhance competitiveness. It looks at 20 indicators of different aspects of innovation. For any state or region, innovation is key to growing productivity, which leads to economic growth, higher wages, and higher standards of living. For businesses, innovation provides competitive advantages and enables companies to seize market opportunities, grow faster, and brin...

News

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