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Courts provide employers with whistleblower lessons
In the past week, a federal appeals court and a state appeals court ruled on separate Oregon whistleblower cases, offering lessons for attentive employers on how to properly deal with […]
Further muddling of wine-related uses on farmland
In our May 2011 column we summarized existing legislation allowing wineries on land zoned for exclusive farm use (EFU), along with rather ambiguous limitations on 鈥渁gri-tainment鈥� events such as wine […]
Business going to the dogs?
It is estimated that 1.4 million owners bring 2.3 million dogs to work each day, and that doesn’t even count one-person shops and people who work at home. Many company […]
Blink and you鈥檒l miss it
As an engineer, I’m sensitive to the criticism often levied against the construction industry that productivity increases lag that of other industries. However, today that is no longer true. Industry […]
What you are not talking about is hindering you
With the plethora of media forums, devices and communication channels that now exist, one would think we are connecting with others better than ever before. We have Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, […]
Oregon (finally) begins to integrate water and land-use planning
The famous quote 鈥淲hiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over,鈥� attributed to Mark Twain, continues to resonate today. In the American West, water regimes have prompted lawsuits, mayhem […]
Be careful, employers: You鈥檙e in the 鈥榬ed zone鈥�
Most employers don’t even realize that they are smack-dab in the middle of the most dangerous time of year 鈥� the so-called 鈥渞ed zone.鈥� It refers to the months of […]
Coal in the Pacific Northwest
Coal trains are in the news again, and I’m not talking about music. The question of coal trains running through the Pacific Northwest to supply China has given local officials […]
The doctrine of unconstitutional conditions redux
At a time when infill development appears to be the only area experiencing growth in an otherwise flat building environment, the Oregon Court of Appeals last month issued an important […]
Projects must be built right
A number of recent projects that some people would have liked to see move forward simply haven’t. Regional ones that come to mind include the Columbia River Crossing and energy-related […]
25 million reasons to stop workplace bullying
When a jury takes time to examine a workplace culture and then reaches a $25 million verdict against the employer, it’s clear that it was doing something wrong. That is […]
Affordable housing: the Portland region鈥檚 biggest failure
A recent series of articles by The Oregonian highlights a significant failure of local and regional governments in the Portland region in an area where they share responsibility. The series, […]
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 鈥� 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
