The Register Guard (Eugene, OR) articles from July 2003

The Register Guard (Eugene, OR) archives from July 2003

Carlsbad, Calif.-Based Invitrogen Busy Carlsbad, Eugene, Ore., Biotech Firm.
July 4, 2003... Byline: Christian Wihtol Jul. 4--After spending nearly three decades building Molecular Probes Inc. into a biosciences powerhouse, the Eugene owners are selling the firm to industry giant Invitrogen Corp. for $325 million in cash. ...

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore., Retail Notebook Column.
July 4, 2003... Byline: Edward Russo Jul. 4--They raced to a fast start with Mucho Gusto Mexican Kitchen, but Jim and Phil West no longer have the accelerator pushed to the floor. The restaurateur brothers recently parked plans to convert a former...

Hispanic Market Owners Hope Location in Eugene, Ore., Will Attract Crowds.
July 4, 2003

Oregon Governor Steps into Legislative Spotlight as Budget Crisis Grows.
July 7, 2003... Byline: David Steves Jul. 7--SALEM, Ore. -- For weeks now, Gov. Ted Kulongoski has kept his distance from the Legislature's squabble over how to deal with Oregon's worst fiscal crisis since the Great Depression. But with the partisan...

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore., On the Job Column.
July 7, 2003... Byline: Dan Grinfas Jul. 7--QUESTION: We have an employee who wants to take time off to help care for the terminally ill mother of his same-sex domestic partner. We know that we have to allow time off for an employee with a sick...

Oregon Country Fair's 45,000 Guests a Financial Boon to Eugene Area.
July 7, 2003... Byline: Joe Harwood Jul. 7--By Friday, when the Oregon Country Fair begins, Rich Retig and his staff at the Cash & Carry United Grocers wholesale store in west Eugene will be in need of some psychospiritual rejuvenation. "This...

High-Tech Solution May Replace Gas Tax to Refill Oregon's Road Fund.
July 7, 2003... Byline: Joe Mosley Jul. 7--The problem is fuel efficiency. Forty years ago, nearly all cars burned a gallon of gasoline every eight to 10 miles they traveled. The miles per gallon average is about double that now. And with...

University of Oregon Researchers Put Big Hopes in Tiny Technology.
July 7, 2003... Byline: Greg Bolt Jul. 7--It can take Kurt Langworthy all day to look at an object barely an eighth of an inch long. That's because Langworthy, a research assistant at the University of Oregon, spends much of his day in the world of...

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore., Business Briefs Column.
July 7, 2003

Sunshine, Larger Crowds Greet Latino Marketplace in Eugene, Ore.
July 7, 2003

Court Ruling Supporting Florence, Ore.-Area Casino Widens Local Debate.
July 8, 2003... Byline: Winston Ross Jul. 8--FLORENCE, Ore.--"IT'S NOT A DONE DEAL," declares the campaign literature tacked to bulletin boards across this coastal town. The flyers have been up for months, long before last week's federal court ruling that...

Oregon Citizens Give State Lawmakers Earful on Tax Issues.
July 9, 2003... Byline: Diane Dietz Jul. 9--SALEM, Ore.--Most of the 70-plus Oregonians who addressed lawmakers on taxes Monday said they'd be willing to consider something different. Rather than the adamant or angry "no more taxes" or "no chance on...

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore., Retail Notebook Column.
July 10, 2003... Byline: Edward Russo Jul. 10--GEN X CLOTHING TO DRESS CRAFT STORE SPACE: Craft World just last month went out of business at its space near Mohawk Boulevard and Olympic Street in Springfield, but it didn't take long for another retailer to...

Coburg, Ore., Annexation Plan Fuels Speed Trap Debate.
July 11, 2003... Byline: Mark Baker Jul. 11--COBURG, Ore.--A plan to expand the city limits could enable police to get around two pending laws that will forbid officers from directing traffic violators stopped on Interstate 5 -- which currently lies...

Oregon Country Fair Not Without Controversy.
July 11, 2003... Byline: Matt Cooper Jul. 11--VENETA, Ore.--Starting today and running through Sunday, the Oregon Country Fair and its tie-dyed swirl of music, meals and mirth will again be served up as an open-minded antidote to the social and political...

New Figures May Force Cuts in Oregon Health Plan.
July 11, 2003... Byline: David Steves Jul. 11--SALEM, Ore.--Despite months of brainstorming and bill-writing to save more than $100 million in Oregon Health Plan costs, lawmakers are learning that the savings are vanishing into thin air. Newly...

Coos Bay, Ore., Gas Pipeline Still Faces Obstacles.
July 11, 2003... Byline: Winston Ross Jul. 11--COOS BAY, Ore.--And you thought building a house was a pain in the neck. Consider the deluge of permits required to run a natural gas pipeline from Roseburg to Coos Bay: the 140 rights of way that had to...

Bank to Open Medford, Ore., Branch.
July 11, 2003

Grants Will Help Businesses Hire, Train Employees.
July 11, 2003

Designers Begin Fleshing Out Details of New Federal Building in Eugene, Ore.
July 12, 2003... Byline: Bill Bishop Jul. 12--A river literally runs through the new federal courthouse site in Eugene, and it will emerge as the first challenge facing J.E. Dunn Construction when the firm begins digging a 12-foot-deep hole for the $70...

Designers Polish Plans for New Federal Building in Eugene, Ore.
July 12, 2003... Byline: Bill Bishop Jul. 12--A river literally runs through the new federal courthouse site in Eugene, and it will emerge as the first challenge facing J.E. Dunn Construction when the firm begins digging a 12-foot-deep hole for the $70...

Immigration Crackdown Affects Lane County, Ore., College's Aviation Program.
July 13, 2003... Byline: Greg Bolt Jul. 13--The aviation maintenance program at Lane Community College is having to retool after losing 25 percent of its enrollment to new immigration restrictions on foreign students. Eleven of the 45 students in the...

DirecTV Takes Hard Line with Alleged Satellite Television Pirates.
July 14, 2003... Byline: Edward Russo Jul. 14--Two years ago, John Schaefer of North Bend allegedly bought via mail order a computer device popular with people who illegally tap into satellite TV signals. The supposed acquisition brought upon Schaefer...

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore., On the Job Column.
July 14, 2003... Byline: Dan Grinfas Jul. 14--QUESTION: We're looking ahead and noticing that July 4 falls on a Sunday next year. Can we simply give employees eight hours of holiday pay, or must we provide a different paid day off? Would Monday the 5th be...

Oregon's Jobless Rate Climbed to 8.5 Percent in June.
July 14, 2003... Byline: Christian Wihtol Jul. 14--Underscoring the state's continued economic woes, the jobless rate hit 8.5 percent in June, the highest rate in nearly 17 years, the Oregon Employment Department said on Friday. The growth in the labor...

Car Drivers, Truckers Assess Blame for Damage to Oregon Roads, Bridges.
July 14, 2003... Jul. 14--SALEM, Ore.--When it comes to the role trucks and cars play in damaging Oregon's roads and bridges, the question of fairness has been a contentious one over the years. After all, taxes and fees from passenger-car drivers and...

Oregon's Diamond Lake Area Copes with Toxic Mold Problem.
July 14, 2003... Byline: Scott Maben Jul. 14--DIAMOND LAKE, Ore.--Kim Easthouse watched her son and daughter splash around in a small pool on shore, a few yards from an abandoned swimming area at the lake that the family drove eight hours to visit. ...

Fire at Eugene, Ore., Scrap Yard under Investigation.
July 14, 2003

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore., Development Report Column.
July 15, 2003... Byline: Joe Harwood Jul. 15--TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL TO BUILD NEW SYNAGOGUE, SCHOOL: Temple Beth Israel last week won a conditional use permit from the city to build a new synagogue about one mile southeast of its present site in south Eugene....

Oregon Bridge-Repair Legislation Faces Convoy of Special Interests.
July 15, 2003... Byline: David Steves Jul. 15--SALEM, Ore.--More than any other type of vehicle, the grinding burden of heavy trucks has left Oregon's bridges dangerously cracked -- and the Legislature scrambling for a way to pay the repair bill. And...

Eugene, Ore.-Based Bank Posts $1.7 Million in Quarterly Profits.
July 16, 2003... Byline: Edward Russo Jul. 16--Pacific Continental Bank, helped by brisk business and the disposal of a troublesome property, on Tuesday announced record quarterly profits. The Eugene-based bank said it earned $1.7 million, or 34 cents...

State Won't Block Florence, Ore., Casino.
July 16, 2003... Byline: David Steves Jul. 16--SALEM, Ore.--Gov. Ted Kulongoski all but cleared the way for a casino near Florence on Monday when he announced he would not appeal a federal court ruling that area tribes had a right to build such a facility....

Critics Attack Two Oregon Lawmakers over Land-Preservation, Health Grants.
July 16, 2003... Byline: David Steves Jul. 16--SALEM, Ore.--Legislative budget writers have turned away more than $22 million in federal grants, critics charged Tuesday, citing land-preservation projects in the Eugene-Springfield and Florence areas and a...

Critic Blames Conservative Oregon Lawmakers for Losing Land-Preservation Grant.
July 16, 2003... Jul. 16--SALEM, Ore.--When it came to the question of whether to put in public trust 200 acres of private oak woodland in the south Eugene hills, the list of supporters was impressive: The city of Eugene, which agreed to put up $687,000 for an...

Springfield, Ore., Planning Commission Hears Hospital Plan.
July 16, 2003... Byline: Matt Cooper Jul. 16--SPRINGFIELD, Ore.--The Springfield Planning Commission asked a few detailed questions Tuesday after a first look at PeaceHealth's sprawling hospital plan, but pivotal issues will await when the city rules on...

Drug Plan Will Work Wonders -- For Industry.
July 16, 2003... Byline: Peter DeFazio Jul. 16--At 2 a.m. on an uncomfortably warm Friday in June, it looked as though a contentious prescription drug plan for seniors (House Resolution 1) would be defeated in the U.S. House. But the Republican leadership...

Eugene, Ore.-Based Outdoor Advertising Company Posts Loss.
July 16, 2003... Byline: Edward Russo Jul. 16--In the short run, the soft national economy will hold back the outdoor advertising industry and Obie Media Corp., but business could rally late this year, Obie executives said Monday as they released...

Tuition Is Likely to Rise for Oregon's State Universities.
July 16, 2003... Byline: Greg Bolt Jul. 16--The state higher education board is expected to approve another round of tuition increases this week but delay until winter term another change that would fundamentally alter the way most university students are...

University of Oregon Students Question Timing of Campus Citation Debate.
July 16, 2003... Byline: Joe Mosley Jul. 16--There was little debate Monday night about whether the University of Oregon should be given authority to police its own, but Eugene City Councilors had a parting of ways about deciding the matter while students...

Lowell, Ore.-Area Wildfire Hits 1,200 Acres, Growing.
July 16, 2003... Byline: Joe Mosley Jul. 16--LOWELL, Ore.--Word spread through the command center late Tuesday afternoon that crews battling the stubborn Clark Fire in rugged terrain along Fall Creek were no longer in danger of getting skunked. After...

Lane County, Ore., Studies 'Last Resort' Herbicide Use.
July 17, 2003... Byline: Randi Bjornstad Jul. 17--Using herbicide sprays on county-owned property -- including alongside the county's 1,500 miles of roads -- could become the method of last resort for controlling noxious vegetation in two weeks. After...

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore., Retail Notebook Column.
July 17, 2003... Byline: Edward Russo Jul. 17--Location is important in retail, just as in real estate investment. Sales are strong at Worldly Goods, which last month moved about a block southward in downtown Eugene to the McDonald Theater building at...

Neighbors' Lawsuit Targets Eugene, Ore.-Area Shooting Range.
July 17, 2003... Byline: Rebecca Nolan Jul. 17--A group of south hills neighbors concerned about stray bullets, noise and pollution at the Izaak Walton League's shooting range southwest of Eugene has filed a lawsuit against the nonprofit organization. ...

Helicopters Dump Water on Wildfire in Rough Lowell, Ore.-Area Terrain.
July 17, 2003... Byline: Joe Mosley Jul. 17--LOWELL, Ore.--Firefighters dug in on the south side of the 1,500-acre Clark Fire on Wednesday, as helicopters carried the load on the wildfire's northern perimeter by dumping bucket after bucket of water on...

Funding Boost Is Not Enough to Repair Eugene, Ore.-Area Dam.
July 17, 2003

Oregon Budgeters Derail Hopes of Amtrak Passengers.
July 21, 2003... Byline: David Steves Jul. 21--SALEM, Ore.--Linda and John Franklin are such devoted antique car buffs that they traveled from their Creswell home to Dearborn, Mich., this summer for the 100th anniversary of the Ford Motor Company. But...

Board of Appeals Says Development is Far Enough from Florence, Ore., Airport.
July 21, 2003... Byline: Winston Ross Jul. 21--FLORENCE, Ore.--The biggest development to hit this coastal town in several years may have received the final OK that it needed this week. The Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals rejected a claim from a local...

Federal Funds Appear Unavailable to Dredge Oregon's Siuslaw River in 2004.
July 21, 2003... Byline: Winston Ross Jul. 21--FLORENCE, Ore.--Each year for the past decade, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has spent nearly a half-million dollars to dredge the mouth of the Siuslaw River. The federal agency does so to make the...

Oregon Rep. DeFazio Warns Residents of Higher Costs under New Drug Legislation.
July 21, 2003... Byline: Jim Feehan Jul. 21--Prescription drug legislation that moved through the U.S. House last month would actually cost seniors more money because of substantial premiums, a high deductible and gaps in coverage, Rep. Peter DeFazio,...

Oregon Lawmakers Pare Down Student Assessment Testing.
July 21, 2003... Byline: Anne Williams Jul. 21--The future of Oregon's student assessment system just got simpler, thanks to a new law that limits required testing to three key subjects. The law, which took effect July 1, drops social studies, second...

Utility Workers in Eugene, Ore., to Vote on Joining National Union.
July 21, 2003... Byline: Scott Maben Jul. 21--Nearly 150 employees of the Eugene Water & Electric Board will have the chance to vote next month on whether to form a unit of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. It would be the first...

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore., On the Job Column.
July 21, 2003... Byline: Dan Grinfas Jul. 21--QUESTION: One of our employees tested positive for marijuana on a random drug screen we conducted last week, and our company policy is to terminate employees for using illegal drugs. However, when presented...

Lane County, Ore., Food Bank Board Calls for Special Audit.
July 21, 2003... Byline: Susan Palmer Jul. 21--Questions about spending at FOOD for Lane County, the state's second largest food bank, have prompted its board of directors to call for a special audit of credit card use by agency staff over the past three...

Hemp Festival in Eugene, Ore., Area Highlights Value of Industrial Hemp.
July 21, 2003... Byline: Rebecca Nolan Jul. 21--It was a peaceful Saturday afternoon at Alton Baker Park, site of the first ever Emerald Empire Hempfest. All kinds of people stopped by the free event to shop for hemp products, to listen to music about...

Portland, Ore.-Area Health Care Providers Open Battle in Federal Court.
July 21, 2003... Byline: Tim Christie Jul. 21--PORTLAND, Ore.--Attorneys for PeaceHealth and McKenzie-Willamette Hospital squared off Thursday before a federal judge in a precursor to a high-stakes antitrust trial set to go before a jury this fall. ...

Eugene, Ore., Experts Advise Unemployed Workers to Approach Job Hunt as Work.
July 21, 2003... Jul. 21--EDITOR'S NOTE: This is one in a series of articles about job hunting. You're suddenly unemployed. Welcome to your new career: finding a job. Maintaining enthusiasm and an optimistic attitude are critical in today's job...

Knife Makers in Lane County, Ore., Find Customers Nationwide.
July 21, 2003... Byline: Bill Neill Jul. 21--In the past 20 years, Eugene has become home to knife makers of national caliber. They sell their work to collectors in the United States and overseas for hundreds and even thousands of dollars a pop. ...

Federal Funds Appear Unavailable for 2004 Dredging of Oregon River.
July 21, 2003... Byline: Winston Ross Jul. 21--FLORENCE, Ore.--Each year for the past decade, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has spent nearly a half-million dollars to dredge the mouth of the Siuslaw River. The federal agency does so to make the...

Harvest Burned Trees in Southwest Oregon Now, Study Urges.
July 21, 2003... Byline: Scott Maben Jul. 21--ROSEBURG, Ore.--Time is quickly running out to salvage trees killed in last year's Biscuit Fire in Southwest Oregon and to start replanting severely burned stands of timber, a team of Oregon State University...

Federal Judge in Seattle Orders Pesticide Buffers to Protect Salmon.
July 21, 2003

Fire Crews in Oregon Torch Safety Zone Around Blaze in Bid to Gain Edge.
July 22, 2003... Byline: Greg Bolt Jul. 22--Firefighters continue to torch a safety zone around the Clark Fire in an effort to lasso the 2,500-acre blaze and keep it from jumping key ridge-lines in the face of threatening weather. Crews were keeping a...

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore., Development Report Column.
July 22, 2003... Byline: Christian Wihtol Jul. 22--Looking for something special to offer home buyers, subdivision developer Dan Leahy happened upon a small lake in the Danebo area, which he has turned into the centerpiece of a small subdivision. The...

Springfield Ore., Council Sidesteps Taking Position on Patriot Act.
July 22, 2003... Byline: Matt Cooper Jul. 22--SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- The City Council on Monday sidestepped showing support or opposition to the controversial USA Patriot Act, but the question will be revisited amid concerns that civil rights have been...

Energy Trust of Oregon Adds Natural Gas, Solar Energy to Portfolio of Programs.
July 22, 2003

Publisher of Eugene, Ore., Newspaper Receives Honor.
July 22, 2003

U.S. Commission Slaps Chip Maker Hynix with Tariffs.
July 24, 2003... Byline: Christian Wihtol Jul. 24--The U.S. International Trade Commission on Wednesday pressed ahead with imposing heavy tariffs on Hynix computer chip imports into the United States, but the impact on the Eugene Hynix factory remained...

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore., Retail Notebook Column.
July 24, 2003... Byline: Edward Russo Jul. 24--FOOD MERCHANTS FILLING UP COBURG ROAD DEVELOPMENT: The Pavilion, a pair of commercial buildings going up in north Eugene, is becoming a place that taste buds might like. Baja Fresh, a Mexican restaurant...

Proposed Utility Merger Sparks Opposition Drive in Blachly, Ore.
July 24, 2003... Byline: Mark Baker Jul. 24--BLACHLY, Ore.--A proposed merger of the 66-year-old Blachly-Lane Electric Cooperative here with the larger Lane Electric Cooperative is an idea based on saving money in these days of skyrocketing wholesale...

Unit of California-Based RV Maker Posts Quarterly Losses.
July 24, 2003

Repairs Set to Put North Bend, Ore.-Area Bridge on Bay Back in Swing.
July 25, 2003... Byline: Winston Ross Jul. 25--NORTH BEND, Ore.--A few months ago, a sizable chunk of the Coos Bay Railroad Bridge loosened its grip on the rest of the structure and broke off. Normally, this would not have been a terrible -- or even...

Virulent Fungus Found in Two Lane County, Ore.-Area Orchards.
July 25, 2003... Byline: Christian Wihtol Jul. 25--A virulent fungus that kills filbert trees has been detected at two southern Willamette Valley filbert orchards -- one south of Coburg and one near Albany -- prompting agricultural officials on Thursday to...

Eugene, Ore.-Based Biotechnology Firm's New Owner Boosts Profit for Quarter.
July 25, 2003

Monaco Coach Corp.'s Profits Fall, Reflecting Sluggish Sales.
July 25, 2003

Eugene, Ore.-Area Food Bank Releases Director's Credit Tab.
July 26, 2003... Byline: Susan Palmer Jul. 26--FOOD for Lane County Executive Director Caroline Frengle used a food bank credit card to buy $5,400 in restaurant meals over the past two years and made other charges, including payments to bookstores, a hair...

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore., On the Job Column.
July 28, 2003... Byline: Dan Grinfas Jul. 28--QUESTION: If I hire a gentleman for a specific project that will last just a few months, is it true that I need not put him on my company payroll or treat him as an employee? I've been told that when there's a...

Oregon Filbert Growers Take Action against Spread of Disease.
July 28, 2003... Byline: Randi Bjornstad Jul. 28--HARRISBURG, Ore.--Workers at St. Philbert's Hazelnuts south of Harrisburg haven't seen any sign yet of the dreaded Eastern filbert blight, but they're keeping their eyes peeled. The dread disease, which...

Recognizing Marketability of Your Skills Is Critical in Changing Workforce.
July 28, 2003... Jul. 28--Recognizing the marketability of your skills is crucial in the ever-changing world of work. With each new job, a person learns new skills. You might be surprised to find the number of skills you possess. "There are two basic...

The Register-Guard, Eugene, Ore., Development Report Column.
July 29, 2003... Byline: Christian Wihtol Jul. 29--A site in Thurston may be the right prescription for Walgreen Co., which is looking to put stores in Lane County. A Seattle-based firm that is scouting sites for the nation's largest drugstore chain...

Council Approves Hospital Site 'Prep Work' in Springfield, Ore.
July 29, 2003... Byline: Matt Cooper Jul. 29--SPRINGFIELD, Ore.--Would it seem surprising to see PeaceHealth excavating land on the Gateway-area hospital site prior to winning final approval to build the controversial project? That scenario emerged...

Drought Means Drawdowns at Valley Reservoirs near Eugene, Ore.
July 29, 2003... Byline: Scott Maben Jul. 29--Boating at most federal reservoirs in the Willamette Valley could sputter and stall long before Labor Day as dam operators release more water to boost sagging streamflows. But the three most popular...

Eugene, Ore.-Area RV Experts Create Spiffy Vehicle for Surf Shops Owner.
July 29, 2003... Byline: Christian Wihtol Jul. 29--Ron DiMenna, founder and owner of the notable Florida-based Ron Jon Surf Shop chain, is a footloose fellow. Starting late last week, he's doing his traveling in an eye-opening, custom-made $500,000...

Oregon Legislators Wrestling with State Budget.
July 29, 2003... Byline: David Steves Jul. 29--SALEM, Ore.-- Just when it looked like they were going somewhere, legislators shifted into neutral Monday, putting on hold proposals to fund human services and to raise the revenue to pay for those and other...

Eugene, Ore.-Area Property Owners Object to Rapid-Transit Idea.
July 29, 2003... Byline: Edward Russo Jul. 29--The dense traffic of well-heeled shoppers in spendy cars along Eugene's Coburg Road is a retailer's dream. Stores and other businesses are so eager for space along the strip that developers are tearing...

Oregon Owes $1 Million-Plus in Overtime Pay, Audit Finds.
July 30, 2003... Byline: Edward Russo Jul. 30--The state's budget troubles just got a little worse. Oregon state agencies failed to pay many of their workers enough overtime during the past two years, and now must cough up more than $1 million to make...