The board tasked with spurring economic development along the Idaho border with Malheur County will soon have three new members.
Business & economy
Peterson readies for new role as executive director of rail project
Ontario attorney Shawna Peterson was chosen by the Malheur County Development Corp., to be the executive director of the project last month. Peterson will work as an independent contractor.
Legislators want financial accounting of rail center before they throw their support behind project
Two state legislators who represent Malheur County want an outside audit conducted on the Treasure Valley Reload Center. State Rep. Mark Owens, R-Crane, and state Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, made the request via letter to the Malheur County Court recently.
Pot purveyors hit with declining sales, retail prices
Malheur County’s proximity to Idaho, one of a handful of states where recreational and medical cannabis consumption remains illegal, has been a lifeline for the area’s retail cannabis stores amid what an Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission report proclaims are the weakest economic conditions the recreational pot market has seen since its legal introduction in 2016.
Vale coffee spot pours last brew, says adieu
Heather Bixby, a local business owner, notes the business never fully recovering and rising costs due to run-away inflation as reasons for closure.
Wanted: Workers and trees in the Enterprise Classifieds, week of March 22, 2023
The March 22 classifieds include ranch and farm jobs, a house for rent, and a request for walnut tree wood.
Oregon could tighten climate regulations for data centers, cryptocurrency farms
A 2021 law exempted local publicly-owned and co-op power utilities, common in eastern Oregon, from emissions rules. Proposed legislation to close that loophole is drawing stiff opposition.
PortaPros’ business culture draws plaudits
The portable toilet company PortaPros has garnered attention from around the country for the business’ focus on a positive company culture.
Rail board picks Smith replacement as county pursues millions for shipping center
The Malheur County Development Corp., the public company overseeing the rail project chose Ontario attorney Shawna Peterson to serve as executive director. If the county court approves, Peterson will replace former project manager and state legislator Greg Smith who quit last month.
The average home price in Ontario increased by nearly 50% over the last five years
Home sales have steadily declined in Ontario since 2018 when the city saw 186 homes sold. And despite mortgage rates at a historic low in 2021, buyers purchased 170 homes in Ontario, according to a report by the Four Rivers Association of Realtors. The five-year data, from 2018 to 2022, looked at real estate trends in Payette, Weiser, New Plymouth and Ontario. The region saw similar trends over the last five years. Home prices surged, and the demand for homes went up, with homes spending fewer days on the market and the number of houses sold in the region was down from the previous year, but not by much.