Going green not only helps the environment, but it may also benefit companies in recruiting new employees. Eco-friendly businesses will most likely have an advantage over their competition when it comes to hiring the intelligent young people in today's market. A survey completed by Harris Poll discovered 33 percent of Americans would rather work for a green company compared to a business that does not try to encourage socially and environmentally friendly methods, according to ... [full story]

Q: We have owned the oak office chair in this photo since 1962. Originally it was in the office of an Indiana co-op grain elevator business where my husband worked after he graduated from high school. At some time after it was given to him, someone painted it green. Eventually since we liked the chair and used it, we decided to refinish it ourselves. Although we had to replace one of the castors, it is ... [full story]

Pepperweed, Scotch Thistle and Whitetop Weeds to be targeted Earlier this spring, the Oregon State Weed Board (OSWB) reviewed and approved a grant application for Deschutes County to work on three aggressive noxious weed groups growing in the County.   Scotch thistle is one of the noxious weeds to be targeted - photo by Standford.edu Deschutes County and Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) staff have identifed potential weed sites in Bend, Tumalo, and Terrebonne for this ongoing weed project.  ... [full story]

Cast And Crew of 125 Take on Ambitious Production of L. Frank Baum’s Wonderful Land of Oz REDMOND, Ore. — The award winning drama department of Redmond High School kicks off its spring season with a full production of the fantasy musical, The Wizard of Oz on Thursday, May 17th at 7:30 p.m. The production features not only a strong core group of actors, but also a 17-piece orchestra, 40 elementary school students playing the ... [full story]

U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) and Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) on Thursday proposed legislation to keep Internet radio alive by vacating a Copyright Royalty Board (CRB) decision that could increase Internet radio sound recording royalties by 300 percent to 1,200 percent. According to an Arbitron and Edison Media Research, 52 million people listened to Internet radio at least once a month in 2006.  Bridge Ratings and Research predicts that number will double within three years and ... [full story]

GREENBELT, Md. - NASA will hold a conference at 10 a.m. PST on May 15 to discuss the strongest evidence to date that dark matter exists. This evidence was found in a ghostly ring of dark matter in the cluster CL0024 17, discovered using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The ring is the first cluster to show a dark matter distribution that differs from the distribution of both the galaxies and the hot gas. The discovery ... [full story]

This week, legislation supported by U.S. Sen. Gordon H. Smith (R-OR) that would ban gas price gouging was successfully added to a fuel economy reform bill approved by the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee.   “Oregonians are sick and tired of being pummeled at the pump. Gas prices have jumped fifty cents just this month. It is time to push automakers to improve fuel economy,” Smith said. “The real question is not how we will do it, ... [full story]

Bill to strengthen scrap metal sale regulations and penalties cuts off funds for meth use and production, reduces crime against Oregon businesses Democrats in the Oregon House Thursday voted to strengthen record keeping requirements and noncompliance penalties for scrap metal dealers in an effort to further crack down on Oregon’s meth epidemic. “Last session, we worked to take the ingredients used to make meth out of the hands of those producing this devastating drug,” said ... [full story]

May 4 Reports: Lisa Marie Collins reported the theft of a checkbook and wallet from her vehicle. Alejandro Magana-Martinez, 50, was arrested on second-degree forgery and ID theft charges. Mike Hartman reported fraudulent charges to his debit card. Chad Sharpe reported the theft of his locked bicycle from Pilot Butte Middle School. Richard Eugene Patton, 51, was cited for driving without a license. The vehicle was impounded. Daniel Hulbert reported yard lights were stolen from his residence. Building Solutions LLC reported ... [full story]

Oregon production has declined 30 percent in past five years Within a month, Oregon strawberries are expected to be ready for harvest, unofficially marking the beginning of the growing season. But for the state's strawberry industry, competition and other factors have left production at a fraction of what it once was. Niche marketing for both processed and fresh fruit is keeping the commodity alive, but it will probably never return to its glory days.  Oregon producers are ... [full story]