All “latest” numbers are for September 2011 unless otherwise noted. Latest Month Previous Month Previous Year Annual Change EMPLOYMENT/BUSINESS LISTINGS Total employment State of Oregon, thousands 1,825.4 1,828.9 1,792.2 1.9% Total unemployment State of Oregon, thousands 178.2 187.4 197.9 -10.0% Unemployment rate Ore. civilian labor force, seasonally adjusted 9.6% 9.6% 10.7% -1.1 Portland/Vancouver MSA; … Read more

Two years ago, electric vehicles were going to save the world and Oregon in particular. There would be several models on the market to choose from, they all would be fast and go far, and there would be as many charging stations dotting I-5 as Ducks fans on game day. Manufacturers and politicians alike were expecting everyone to dive into the deep end of the EV pool. But consumers have been slow to embrace the new technology.

Large swaths of Oregon’s public land are being leased for wind exploration, leaving wildlife at risk and raising serious questions about how energy projects should be developed.

Oregon is creating a marketplace where small businesses can buy health insurance. But will this exchange improve quality and make health plans more affordable?

What’s ahead for Oregon’s economy? The forecast is mixed.

This month’s Powerlist ranks law firms by number of lawyers in Oregon and SW Washington.

Chemistry is like cooking. Except instead of tenderizing a pork roast with lime, spices and soy sauce, a chemist might mix up a batch of indium cobalt antimony, sink the concoction in copper oxide and then nuke the results in the microwave.