Investment in insurance products and services firm could pay off
Dear Mr. Berko: My broker wants me to sell my 2,094 shares of Wal-Mart and use $8,000 of the money to take what he calls a “businessman’s risk” and […]
Ways to make those resolutions stick
There’s nothing like a new year to rally our hopes and energize us into action – until February comes and old habits win out. Approximately 40 to 45 percent […]
Broker may be difficult to pin down, but he’s on target
Dear Mr. Berko: In 2008, you recommended Bank of America’s 7.25 percent convertible preferred stock at $720 a share. It yielded 10 percent, and you said it was a […]
A lesson in stock options
Dear Mr. Berko: Four months ago, I was allowed to buy in as a new member of a large, successful investment club. I’m being mentored by an older member, […]
3-D printing: a trillion-dollar industry?
Dear Mr. Berko: I remember that way back in 1988, a reader had $20,000 to speculate with, and you gave him a list of 11 cellular stocks to buy. […]
Wal-Mart employees are in cloud of confusion
Dear Mr. Berko: I am 36 and make about $45,000 a year. For 14 years, I have contributed 6 percent of my salary to Wal-Mart’s 401(k) plan, and Wal-Mart […]
Bank on Synovus Financial’s potential
Dear Mr. Berko: In January of 2012, you recommended a bank stock called Synovus Financial, which was trading at $1.47 a share. I studied this stock for three days and […]
Investment in diagnostic testing business faring poorly
Dear Mr. Berko: I researched then purchased 1,000 shares of Quest Diagnostics a year ago at $64.30. And while the stock market has gone up a lot, my Quest […]
Oregon Court of Appeals: Close doesn’t cut it
In our November 2010 column for the 91ÊÓÆµ we wrote about the agonizing 15-year odyssey endured by the city of Woodburn to amend its urban growth boundary (UGB) to […]
Utility stocks with potential for dividend increases
Dear Mr. Berko: I used my entire savings account to buy 387 shares of Piedmont Natural Gas at $12 in 1988 after attending your talk on the stock market […]
Health insurance companies’ prospects are rosy
Dear Mr. Berko: We own five of the drug companies you recommended (list enclosed) and they are doing fantastic. We bought them three years ago because, as you told […]
Making a list of goals for 2014
I am a list person. I don’t mean that I just casually sit down and make a “to do” list each day. No, if you’ve ever stepped foot in […]
News
- $960,000 office renovation in Portland building permits | Aug. 10, 2026
- Two projects in historic districts in Portland land use review intakes | Aug. 10, 2026
- Multnomah County commits up to $101.6M for Moda Center
- Portland code changes to take effect in November
- Los Colibris project approved for Portland’s OMSI District
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $9.9 million in top bidders | Aug. 7, 2026
- Oregon opens infrastructure grant program
- Ex-TV host claps back at Detroit officials in blight case
- 31-unit multifamily project in Portland land use review intakes | Aug. 3, 2026
- $2.4 million office renovation in Portland building permits | Aug. 3, 2026
- Transportation commission weighs ODOT budget cuts
- Lam Research planning $1.7 billion investment in Tualatin
Commentary
- Beware of when the debt collector comes calling | Opinion
- Assembly of a future workforce begins with an invitation | Opinion
- Beware of overlooking legal requirements for remote workers | Opinion
- Become a critical thinker and transform a workplace | Opinion
- Managing construction risks with international suppliers | Opinion
- A rally with many engines: the lesson of 2026’s first half | Opinion
- Oregon housing challenges persist despite sound and fury | Opinion
- When does an employee’s bullying become harassment? | Opinion
- Ditch disorganization — the cost of deferred decisions | Opinion
- Consider 10 common risks for healthcare construction projects | Opinion
- Clarifying the reach of a law regarding prevailing wage | Opinion
- Adjust to legal changes now to ensure compliance later | Opinion







