Business Journal-Portland articles from October 2001

Business Journal-Portland archives from October 2001

Djangos makes bid for 300-store chain.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Portland-based music retailer Djangos.com Inc. is offering to buy national competitor CD Warehouse Inc. for $3.66 million. Djangos representatives said they've submitted an offer to Oklahoma-based CD Warehouse of $1 cash for each of the...

McCormick & Schmick finds successful recipe.(to succeed in the restaurant industry)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Here's a formula for success: Take one wry Irishman with solid business acumen who believes business should be fun. Add a soulful midwestern Lutheran workaholic. Infuse with a blast of Oregon sea air. Marinate in the kitchen for several years....

Natural gas pros expect robust surge in demand.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... What does the future hold for natural gas providers? Lots of drilling, storage and pipeline expansions, according to the Pacific Northwest Gas Strategies Conference held Tuesday at the Portland Hilton. Clean, renewable energy technologies...

Apartment complex sale snags place in record book.(highest-priced apartment transaction in Oregon history, the Hillsboro apartment complex Avalon Palladia was sold for $51.25 million)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... In what might be the highest-priced apartment transaction in Oregon history, the Hillsboro apartment complex Avalon Palladia was sold for $51.25 million. AvalonBay Communities Inc. (NYSE: AVB), an Alexandria, Va.-based real estate...

Charley's gets ready for a splash in retail big leagues.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Charley's egg rolls are being primped for a big introduction. Willow Family Foods, the family-owned company that makes Charley's in Beaverton, wants to take the egg rolls onto the national stage. Instead of going a more costly route...

Neil Kelly spins off cabinet biz as own entity.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Neil Kelly Co., one of the largest and oldest design and build remodeling contractors in the Northwest, announced this week it will spin off its cabinet manufacturing division as a separate corporation. In recent years, the cabinet division...

Pearl District developer puts forth a new spin.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Like so many other Pearl District developers, Gerding/Edlen Development Co. has lofty aspirations for the neighborhood's housing. But while others tear up dusty warehouses for conversion into condominiums, Gerding/Edlen is starting from...

OHSU trims budget but plans a tuition increase.(Oregon Health Sciences University)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... OHSU has cut $10 million over the next two years from the budgets of its education and service programs that receive state funds. The reductions began in the 2002 fiscal year, which started July 1, and will be fully implemented by 2003. The new...

Portland General Electric.(puts rate increases were put into effect)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Despite pleas from industry and consumer groups, Portland General Electric's 30 percent to 50 percent rate increases were put into effect. Associated Oregon Industries, Industrial Customers of Northwest Utilities and the Citizen's Utility Board...

RadiSys Corp.(names Julia Harper as its new CFO)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Hillsboro-based RadiSys Corp. (Nasdaq: RSYS) has appointed Julia Harper as its new CFO. Harper joins RadiSys from Electro Scientific Industries (Nasdaq: ESIO), based in Portland, where she served as vice president of finance. In June, RadiSys...

Oregon Medical Laser Center.(receives grant from Army)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... The Oregon Medical Laser Center at Providence St Vincent Medical Center in Portland received a $2.7 million grant from the U.S. Army to. study ways to use laser technology to aid wounded soldiers. The laser center will conduct pre-clinical...

YoCream International.(expands co-branding agreement with Dannon Company Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Portland frozen yogurt maker YoCream International (Nasdaq:YOCM) and The Dannon Company Inc. have expanded their agreement to include a co-branded line of soft serve frozen yogurt. This is in addition to the earlier news that YoCream frozen...

Louisiana-Pacific.(engaged in cost-cutting including layoffs)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Portland-based Louisiana-Pacific (NYSE:LPX) will cut 160 corporate jobs, freeze salaries, cancel executive bonuses and sell select assets to help save $30 million annually. The cuts will result in a fourth-quarter charge of $5 million to $1O...

Local firm looking for FAA to affirm 757 plan.(Erickson Group)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Portland-based Erickson Group said it recently began the 18-month Federal Aviation Administration approval process to convert Boeing 757 passenger aircraft to cargo use. Financing to complete the project is in place and the company expects...

Timber titans endure a roller coaster of a week.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Last week proved an emotional and fiscal roller coaster for Portland-based Willamette Industries Inc. (NYSE: WLL), which looked like it could evade a hostile takeover one day then looked like it couldn't the next. On Sept. 27, veteran...

Corillian joins major players in consortium.
October 5, 2001... Portland's Corillian Corp. joined leading banks, brokerages and technology companies in ,an industry consortium devoted to the adoption and evolution of the Open Financial Exchange. Founding members Microsoft Corp., Intuit Inc. and...

Boeing China deal good news for local business.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Boeing's big deal with China is not only good news for the struggling airplane maker, but also is an encouraging sign for companies such as Portland-based Precision Castparts. On Oct. 2, Boeing announced an order with China Aviation...

Platt files suit against warehouse contractor.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Platt Electric Supply wanted to modernize its warehouse logistics system, a project that was supposed to reap savings for the longtime Portland electrical parts distributor. Instead, Platt claims the project nearly wrecked its financial...

Electrical Geodesics device cleared for U.S. clinical use.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Eugene-based. Electrical Geodesics Inc. announced Oct. 3 that its Geodesic EEG System 200 has been cleared for ale as a medical device in the United States. Designed to measure changes in human brain functioning by recording changes n the...

Software startup nails down distributor deals.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Red Queen Software, the small Portland company that scored a coup this summer when it was approved for a marketing partnership with Kodak, has trumped again. The company has signed a contract with Element 5 Inc., a German company that...

Willow Creek launches new retirement facility.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Residents have begun moving in to The Springs at Clackamas Woods, Willow Creek Senior Living's new retirement community in Milwaukie. The Springs is already 94 percent full, and additional residents are scheduled to move in during October, said...

Local connections help Michigan firm get cash.(Crystallize Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Via the efforts of a Portland investment banker, and a former. Portland high-tech executive, a Michigan software company has obtained some critical venture capital. The $18.5 million round of funding was placed with Crystallize Inc., whose...

800.com raises profile with a Hollywood deal.(Hollywood Entertainment Corp.)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Online retailer 800.com plans to boost its sales of movies in DVD and VHS formats through anew agreement with Hollywood Entertainment Corp. Under the agreement, consumers who visit Hollywood Entertainment's Reel.com web site and wish to...

Reaume welcomed back to Cushman & Wakefield, sort of.(Steve Reaume)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Steve Reaume has never worked for Cushman & Wakefield of Oregon Inc., but managers there are nevertheless welcoming him back. Reaume worked as a vice president for Cushman Realty Corp. in Los Angeles for eight years before moving to Oregon...

Assisted Living Chapter 11 filing was expected.(Assisted Living Concepts Inc. bankruptcy filing)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Assisted Living Concepts Inc., facing a mountain of debt, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Oct. 1. after reaching an agreement with nearly half of its debenture holders. Holders of about 47 percent of ALC's convertible subordinated...

Big local HMOs in line with national statistics.(premium rate increases)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
October 5, 2001... The Portland area's four largest HMOs are raising premiums at rates exceeding or consistent with national averages, according to information from a national foundation and local sources. The premium increases also are coming at a time when...

Inovise takes gold at re Capital Forum.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Newberg, Ore.-based Inovise Medical has won the Investors Choice Award for biotechnology companies at the third annual Venture Capital Forum held in September in Vancouver, British Columbia. More important than the award may be the fact that a...

Mentor introduces time-saving test technology.
October 5, 2001... Mentor Graphics Corp. (Nasdaq: MENT), based in Wilsonville has introduced a new technology that the company said can significantly reduce the cost of testing semiconductor chips. The new technology, called TestKompress, works by compressing...

Infotects prospers by keeping clients secure.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... While entertainment and technology companies struggle with the issue of preventing entire music catalogs from being Napsterized, a small local engineering firm has found a way to profit from this dilemma. Infotects Inc., a 15-employee...

Good collection agency can offer quick payback.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Sooner or later many businesses are faced with the stark reality that some customers have becomes low-pay or nopay deadbeats. The next step is to hire a collection agency to recoup at least a percentage of those aging receivables. ...

EXECUTIVE PROFILE: Allen Alley.(Pixelworks Inc. CEO)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... PERSONAL INFORMATION Name: Allen Alley Organization: Pixelworks Inc. Title: CEO, president and chairman What we do: Pixelworks is a fabless semiconductor company that designs, develops and markets chips and software that make...

Capital reserves.(KeyCorp CEO and President Henry Meyer III)
October 5, 2001... KeyCorp will rely on capital to weather nation's slump KeyCorp is a financial institution with an unusual footprint. Its operations stretch from coast to coast, but hardly blanket the country. Instead, principal subsidiary KeyBank operates...

Energy issues won't be on back burner long.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... In recent-weeks, how many news articles, columns and radio and TV programs have begun with: "In the wake of the Sept. 11 tragedy..."? A lot. And yet here I was tempted to do it again. In a sense, I did just do it again. The fact...

THAT'S A DAM BIG PLAN.(several new hydropower applications filed)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... The Business Journal has recently reported on the proliferation of preliminary applications to build new natural gas power plants across Oregon. Whether or not a massive natural gas pipeline from Alaska to the Northwest gets built, a number of...

CONSUMERS HAVE THE POWER.(Renewable energy program)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... I hope my personal power demand is waning. In addition to recently tuning up my bike so that I don't have to rely so heavily on the No. 12 Tri-Met bus, I made use if the $6 coupons circulated by Portland General Electric to replace most of my...

Fall brings rain of tech events worth the while.(Software Association of Oregon )(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Fall is on its way How can I tell? Well, apart from the usual disjunctive weather--freezing my toes off one day, back into T-shirts the next--my calendar is suddenly full with events, lectures and other opportunities to learn something, have...

FAST COMPANY COMES TO PUDDLETOWN.(Company of Friends )(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Heath ROW (yes, that is ills real name), "social capitalist" for Fast Company magazine, spent a few days in Portland last week as part of his eight-week West Coast road show. Heath--sorry, I can't follow, journalistic convention and use...

Oregon wineries band together to move vino.(Online wine market)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... A group of small and medium-sized wineries have joined forces to jointly sell their wines online. Operating as The Oregon Wine Market, the group describes itself as an online version of a farmer's market, offering vintages straight from...

EATING FOR A GOOD CAUSE.(Oregon's restaurant industry aids American Red Cross)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Oregon's restaurant industry has joined a national effort to raise funds in support of American Red Cross relief efforts. Participating restaurants across the state will donate a portion of their proceeds from Oct. 11 sales to the American...

TOYS FROM THE PAST.
October 5, 2001... The collection of time-tested toys offered by Lake Oswego retailer Tyless Bliss will soon relocate to a larger space. Bliss' shop, called Timeless Toys, will move from 16066 Boones Ferry Road to 4,000 square feet in the nearby Lake Grove...

LES IS MORE.(Les Schwab Tire Co. to open new Portland store in Capital Hill-area)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Les Schwab Tire Co. will build a new Portland store on Southwest Barbur Boulevard, in the Capital Hill area. The new store, on the site of the former Portland Rose Motel, will contain about 14,000 square feet--about average for the chain,...

REMODELING JOB.(Fred Meyer's new store)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... The Tigard Fred Meyer store has undergone a six-month, $12 million renovation. The work consisted of the removal of the separate Home Improvements building to make way for more parking, and expansion of the main building in order to house...

Architecture firm turns to past for a new home.(Thomas Hacker and Associates Architects Inc. buys Oak Park Building for its new headquarters)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... An architecture firm's work is making new buildings, but one Portland firm's, new home is embracing the old. Thomas Hacker and Associates Architects Inc., well-known for designing new schools, museums and libraries, recently purchased the...

1001 FIFTH AVE. RENAMED AGAIN.(Congress Plaza)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... The building at 1001 Fifth Ave. is having another identity crisis, its fourth in 20 years. "it's getting a new face and a new name," said Tom Fellman, leasing agent from CB Richard Ellis. Building owners recently decided to give the...

SWMC PICKS ARCHITECT.(Southwest Washington Medical Center, NBBJ)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Southwest Washington Medical Center's $115 million expansion plans might be drawn up by the Seattle-based architectural firm NBBJ, a specialist in health care facilities. SWMC and NBBJ are negotiating a contract for architectural design...

EUGENE REALTORS CONVERT.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Eugene-based Cougill & Hansen Realtors converted their offices to John L. Scott Real Estate effective Oct. 1. The conversion to the John L. Scott name was made by purchasing franchise rights. The conversion increases the total number of...

Make sure a sign 's first impression is the one you want.(Business sign's visual impact is key)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... The sign you use for your business has a strong visual impact on customers. When you hang a sign, the message it conveys to potential customers is dependent not only on what it says but also on how it looks. Is it bright and cheery or is...

No gimmicks at agency.(Local travel agency's traditional approach)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Some businesses find success by adding lots of extras to their services, but one local travel agency has found that just focusing on the business plan and creating happy clients is the best way to grow. "We're the silent wonder. We're not...

SBA chief talks about his big plans for federal agency.(Small Business Administration aids New York diaster relief effort)(Government Activity)
October 5, 2001... Like all Americans, Hector Barreto says he was "deeply saddened and shocked" by the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. As administrator of the Small Business Administration, Barreto will play a role in helping New...

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE.(hirings and promotions)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... ARCHITECTURE Czopek & Erdenberger Inc. added Tamera Hines as senior designer and Jennifer Walker as designer. CONSTRUCTION Pinnell/Bush Inc. named John Costello owner's representative services manager and EIFS specialist, and Joe...

Let's learn from the PFE losses.(Portland Family Entertainment should be lesson not to bring Major League Baseball to Portland)(Brief Article)(Editorial)
October 5, 2001... The abysmal performance of Portland Family Entertainment offers more evidence that it would be a huge mistake for Portland to put up any tax money to bring Major League Baseball to the region. As reported this week in The Oregonian, PFE...

Value-added: That's our mission.(new services from Business Journal Portland)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... We've been busy here at The Business Journal adding new services, products and events, so I thought it was probably high time to make sure everyone was aware and able to take advantage of them. Here goes: * The Business Journal's Oregon...

OPINION.
October 5, 2001... Editor's blast at Oregonian's INS series unjustified To the editor: Re: Editor's Notebook, Sept 28: What a petty and resentful man your Mr. Cook is! As we try to cope with a national tragedy, he cannot resist using it as a pretext for...

Upstarts of the Fast 50.(Technology Fast 50 awards)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... If you look at the companies that made the Top 10 in this year's Technology Fast 50 rankings, you'll find that six also made the Top 10 a year ago. The top three all moved up this time--Pixelworks from second to first place, Webridge from off...

'01 Fast 50 celebration.(2001 Oregon Technology Fast 50 awards)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... On behalf of all the people of Deloitte & Touche, I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved in developing and supporting the 2001 Oregon Technology Fast 50 awards. Now in our fifth year, we continue to celebrate the best...

Tech companies must retool for down times.(Management consultant Geoffrey Moore)
October 5, 2001... Geoffrey Moore is the founder and a managing director of The Chasm Group LLC in San Mateo, calif., where he is actively involved in management consulting Moore is also a venture partner at Mohr, Davidow Ventures and the author of four books....

Process Tube Systems: reeling in customers.(ASME-registered facility)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Kurt Kimmerle sits in his Wilsonville office beneath a giant marlin caught in Cabo San Lucas by his brother Doug. "I've been going to Hawaii for years," Kimmerle says, "trying to catch a bigger fish." While he dreams of catching a bigger...

It's looking better all the time for Pixelworks.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Pixelworks is all about looking better. Specifically making computer monitors look better by using integrated circuits that maximize the potential of the screens that sit on nearly every desktop in corporate America and in many homes as well....

Imagination inspires hip Pop Art Company.(Internet consulting firm)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... They're located in two rooms of brick Northwest Glisan Street lowrise. Here, employees in khakis and polo shirts report in, kick off their shoes, then flip on their computer screens. They drop all peripheral vision and enter the worlds not only...

Hurdles no object for Lacamas Laboratories.
October 5, 2001... Until recently Allen Erickson's Lacamas Laboratories was "machinery limited." So he expanded the lab facility behind his Portland company. Now, Lacamas is "people limited." He'll hire additional work force. "Then, I think we'll become...

Webridge's meteoric rise puts firm near top.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... No. 2 Webridge didn't even appear on last year's Fast Tech list. That wasn't because it wasn't growing fast enough. But, to make the list, companies must have three years' worth of revenue. And Webridge didn't make its first buck until FY98....

Building a business by 'discovering' your niche.(Inspiration Software)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... When Donald Helfgott, CEO of Inspiration Software, founded his company in 1982, business managers were his target. His visual map configurations were geared toward developing creativity in business planning and organization. As the quality...

Much as he'd like to, Canright can't coast.(Jim Canright of Canright Systems)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
October 5, 2001... Years ago, when Jim Canright addressed his son's kindergarten class, the children had trouble grasping what he did. So Canright simplified his job description: "I count Cheerios," he told them. The children nodded solemnly This was useful and...

Past triumphs propel WebTrends to No. 9.(WebTrends Corp.)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... This may be the last time Portland's WebTrends will appear near or at the top of a list of awesomely growth-spurting standalone companies. Since it was bought by Net IQ earlier this year, it gave up the independence that is a requirement of...

Culture of happiness a culture of profitability.(S.R.C. Software Inc.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
October 5, 2001... At SRC Software, corporate philosophy hinges on keeping employees and clients happy. "We have no investors," says President Andrew Ferguson. "We have no debt. All other companies exist to make sales. We truly exist because our goal in life...

Digimarc drops down, but certainly not out.(Digimarc Corp. financial data)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
October 5, 2001... Digimarc Corp. has weathered its share of ups and downs in recent quarters as a result of the turbulent financial markets and a general investor shunning of any business that smacked of the internet. But Chief Executive Bruce Davis sees no...

From ultimate frisbee to Fast 50.(Critical Path Software)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... It comes from the top. At least that's the standard remark when entry-level employees do their jobs with a frown. By contrast, at Critical Path Software, principals Steve Romero and James Berry hold the helm with such passion that you...

Will your company be a recession survivor?(keeping employees well-trained and up to date)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... It is not easy to predict what will happen to related businesses during an economic downturn in a large industry sector. While the high-tech community has come upon turbulent times in the past year, it is apparent that the business of higher...

Security breaches are Tripwire s raison d'etre.(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
October 5, 2001... Portland-based Tripwire, No. 3 on our Fast Tech 50 list, makes software that protects internet servers from outside attacks. Company officials pointed to a flurry of security breaches in 2000 involving credit card numbers stolen via the...

800.com's Drew has passion for work and life.(Greg Drew of 800.com Inc.)(Brief Article)(Interview)
October 5, 2001... 800.com, which appears in the No. 4 position on our Fast Tech 50 list this year describes itself on its web site (www.800.com) as "a leading internet retauer of consumer electronics. "It also happens to be led by a fellow with a rather wry...

Corillian: Will growth hit bottom line at last?(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Online banking company Corillian Corp., No. 8 on the Fast 50 list, has dramatically increased revenue. Now if it can only start turning a profit, investors might see some rewards. The Beaverton company went public in April of 2000 and has...

Customer service focus turned Vesta around.(Vesta Corp.)(Brief Article)(Company Profile)(Statistical Data Included)
October 5, 2001... Vesta Corp. faced a vexing set of problems. Its suppliers started competing with Vesta and the company's profit margins were shrinking. That's when CEO Doug Fieldhouse decided to dramatically reshape the company's business model by...

Q&A: Process Tube Systems.(Brief Article)(Interview)
October 5, 2001... We asked the bosses of our "Upstarts of the Fast Tech 50" to respond to a few questions. Here are the comments of Process Tube Systems' Kurt Kimmerle, as told to free-lance writer Gail Dana: BJ: Who is your customer base? We primarily...

Q&A: Canright Systems.(Jim Canright)(Interview)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... We asked the bosses of our "Upstarts of the Fast Tech 50" to respond to a few questions. Here are the comments of Canright Systems' Jim Canright, as told to free-lance writer Gail Dana: BJ: What is your average project size? Projects...

Q&A: Pop Art LLC.(Steven Rosenbaum)(Brief Article)(Interview)
October 5, 2001... We asked the bosses of our "Upstarts of the Fast Tech 50" to respond to a few questions. Here are the comments of Pop Art LLC's Steven Rosenbaum, as told to free-lance writer Gail Dana: BJ: What makes you unique? We offer the same best...

Q&A: SRC Software.(Andrew Ferguson)(Brief Article)(Interview)
October 5, 2001... We asked the bosses of our "Upstarts of the Fast Tech 50" to respond to a few questions. Here are the comments of SRC Software's Andrew Ferguson, as told to free-lance writer Gail Dana: BJ: What sets you apart? We have the most...

Q&A: Inspiration Software.
October 5, 2001... We asked the bosses of our "Upstarts of the Fast Tech 50" to respond to a few questions. Here are the comments of Inspiration Software's Donald Helfgott, as told to freelance writer Gail Dana: BJ: Who is your customer base? Mainly...

Q&A: Critical Path Software.(Steve Romero)(Brief Article)(Interview)
October 5, 2001... We asked the bosses of our "Upstarts of the Fast Tech 50" to respond to a few questions. Here are the comments of Critical Path Software's Steve Romero, as told to free-lance writer Gail Dana: BJ: Do you foresee satellite offices? I...

E-commerce expertise can put you in Fast 50.(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... The internet has brought about a great deal of change to our society and the way business is conducted. But with this shift comes a web of questions for businesses: Do you need an e-commerce consultant? If so, when? And how do you go about...

Q&A: Lacamas Laboratories Inc.(Allen Erickson)(Brief Article)(Interview)
October 5, 2001... We asked the bosses of our "Upstarts of the Fast Tech 50" to respond to a few questions. Here are the comments of Lacamas Laboratories' Allen Erickson, as told to free-lance writer Gail Dana: BJ: What do you like best about this work? ...

Winners & Losers.
October 5, 2001... Don Jensen & Bridgetown Coffee Jensen's little coffee roasting operation, located just west of the Pearl District, was recognized for the second year in a row for excellence in specialty coffee retailing. The Specialty Coffee Assn. of...

SLAPSHOTS.(Duck Pond introduces new wines)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2001... Wine of a different feather The family-owned vineyard of Duck Pond cellars, owned and operated by the Fries and Jenkins families, has introduced a new brand from their Washington holdings. Desert Wind Vineyard, perched on the Wahluke slope...

Pioneer Bank fending off New Yorkers.
October 12, 2001... The Stilwell gang rode into Baker City nearly a year ago, and it's been wreaking havoc ever since in its attempt to plunder the town bank. At least that's how it's seen by directors and officers of Pioneer Bank and of its holding company...

Sounds of silence filling Sunset Corridor offices.
October 12, 2001... The only things inside some of Hillsboro's office buildings are echoes. In one year, Hillsboro's office vacancy rate skyrocketed from 12.8 percent to 41.5 percent--and vacancy reached 48.5 percent with sublease space added in, according to...