news in Portland...

With Portland’s ubiquitous farmers markets, a committed locavore “foodie” movement, and the great luck of being located in the Willamette Valley—home to some of the most fertile soil on the planet—how could the Rose City possibly face any food security issues? But the facts don’t lie. According to the Multnomah Food Action Plan, adopted by the County Board of Commissioners in January 2011, there are more...

Today the Portland Water Bureau is turning off the Bull Run water supply system and activating the supply system from the Columbia South Shore Well Field. Recent heavy rains and increased stream flows have contributed to a rapid increase in turbidity, or suspended sediments, in the Bull Run system. The Bull Run water supply is not filtered. "We are blessed to have two high quality sources of water available to us," said more...

The first graduates of the Beginning Urban Farmer Apprenticeship program look to make an impact on the agricultural scene of the Portland metro area. more...

Any small business owner or organization can create value through creative calendaring. more...

Imagine that you're a florist. You've spent years working in the industry, you've learned the art of arrangement and now you're ready to strike out on your own. So you begin scouting for locations and then, there it is, the ideal place for your dream shop, which you envision in an old house a couple of doors down from a small neighborhood market on a street lined with single-family homes. You're sure that you can more...

Portland's small retailers have always had to stay on their toes to be competitive in the face of online and big-box stores. Owners work hard to create personal relationships and shops that offer great experiences. Local leaders and business organizations have tried to help inform and motivate consumers with buy-local campaigns. Now, small retailers face an emerging threat from mobile apps that can turn a shop created with love into more...

At the tail end of the last century, as independent craft brewing was on the rise, an inexpensive domestic beer that was nearly forgotten got a new lease on life. The beer, of course, was the iconic Pabst Blue Ribbon. The place, of course, was here. But the reason? Pabst didn't have the capital to market itself, so it didn't, which is exactly why Portlanders embraced it. Well, that, and the beer was, and remains, cheap. In more...

Small businesses are in luck. There’s about to be more help on the way. The Portland Development Commission (PDC) has finalized the details of the Small Business Development Program (SBDP). The PDC and five nonprofit organizations have joined forces to create the Small Business Development Program. The initiative is aimed at strengthening and assisting 155 businesses located in North, Northeast, and East Portland within the next more...

Downtown A public hearing has been called before the city's design commission, which will weigh in on the redevelopment of a two-story building on the 1100 block of SW Alder. The redevelopment includes the addition of a 6,000 square-foot glass and aluminum office penthouse atop the second floor as well as a rooftop deck that will wrap around the offices. The public hearing is scheduled for the afternoon of November 3 at the offices more...

In the last month, quite a few businesses opened their doors for the first time, including a new garage operated by a fellow who'll try to repair your bicycle within a 12-hour time frame, so you can ride it home from work. But some of these new businesses are actually old businesses undergoing various forms of expansion by either building up (Nuvrei Pastries is now also Nuvrei Pâtisserie & Café) or building out more...