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Environmental
company relocates headquarters to Bend
Bend will
soon have a new environmental technology
company in its ranks as Integrated
Environmental Technologies LLC (IET)
plans to move its headquarters to the
area.
The Richland, Washington based company provides
plasma-based clean energy technology.
IET is known for its Plasma Enhanced
Melter, which can convert any type of
waste into useful commercial products.
This includes clean fuels like ethanol
and methanol, and blasting grit or
building materials created from a
glass-like substance.
“We’re pleased to relocate our headquarters and key
professional staff to Central Oregon,”
Jeff Surma, president and CEO of IET
told Expansion Management.com. “We
believe there’s a broad support for
providing clean, high tech solutions to
our country’s energy needs and issues
with waste disposal.”
The 3,400 square foot headquarters in Bend will house
officers and financial, project management,
and administrative staff. The company
expects to hire anywhere from five to
ten employees in the project
development/project management divisions
by the end of the year. About 23
employees will relocate to the area.
In the future, the company may also look at developing
another research and development
facility in Bend.
In an interview with ExpansionManagement.com, Economic
Development for Central Oregon Executive
Director Roger Lee said IET is the exact
type of company Central Oregon wants to
attract.
“It brings high-paying, scientific jobs to the area and
further enhances the region’s growing
R&D and high tech clusters,” he said.
“It also adds to Central Oregon’s base
of companies with ‘green’ technologies
that support a sustainable environment.”
Information gathered from
www.ExpansionManagement.com
and
www.inentec.com
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Central
Oregon Unemployment Declines
The Tri-county area saw a decrease in
unemployment rates from April to May
with Deschutes County seeing a larger
decline than anticipated.
Deschutes County’s rate moved down to 6.1 percent in
May, a 0.6 percent decrease. According
to a press release from the State of
Oregon Employment Department, May saw
the addition of 1,000 jobs to the
county. “The gains in May beat
expectations, and overall the county’s
employment has only performed slightly
better than expected so far this year,”
the release stated.
Instead of the rapid growth of recent years, Deschutes
County has started leveling off on
employment numbers. The categories which
saw the largest number of gains include
leisure and hospitality, professional
and business services, natural
resources, mining and construction, and
local government.
The May numbers are the highest since 2003, when the
county saw unemployment rates of 7.7
percent.
Nationwide, the unemployment rates stand at 5.2 percent
which is a slight increase from April’s
numbers. Overall, Oregon saw a small
decline from April to May with a rate of
5.3 percent.
Information provided by State of Oregon Employment
Department
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Fireworks
Preparation
The 4th of July is just around the
corner and fireworks stands have already
set-up around the local area. The City
of Bend would like to remind area
residents to be safe with fireworks
during the festivities.
In the U.S. in 2006 alone, there were nearly 10,000
people injured by fireworks and many of
those were children. In that same year,
both legal and illegal fireworks caused
2,500 fires which resulted in $39
million in property damages.
Here are some easy tips to remember during the holiday:
1. Only use fireworks that are legal for use in
Oregon. Illegal fireworks include any
types that fly, explode, eject balls of
fire or move across the ground more than
6 feet or into the air more than 12
inches.
2. Always make sure to read the directions of the
fireworks you are about to use and keep
a bucket of water or hose handy to douse
any small fires or misfired fireworks.
3. Make sure to only use fireworks outdoors and
never try to re-light a “dud.” Also,
never alter fireworks or make your own.
For more information or tips, visit the
City of Bend’s Web site at
www.ci.bend.or.us. And go to the
Fire Department’s page.
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Attention
Leaders: Chamber Opportunity
Available
Calling all leaders. If you have ever
thought about being a member of the
Chamber Board of Directors, now is your
chance. This is a great way to be
actively involved in the community and
the Chamber.
You must be a current Chamber member and have time to
devote to board responsibilities and
Chamber activities. There are four
positions available. The term is for
three years starting January 1.
Those who are interested need to complete the following
questions and return them with a cover
letter to the Nomination Committee
Chairman no later than August 1, 2008:
1. Why would you like to be a
member of the Board of Directors of the
Bend Chamber of Commerce?
2. What are your
qualifications as a board member?
3. In your estimation, what
are the four top issues facing the Bend
business community, and what are your
general thoughts relative to those
issues?
Thank you for your interest and please
send all questionnaires to Pat Kesgard,
Nomination Committee Chairman at the
following: Pat Kesgard, Steve Scott
Realtors, 685 S. E. Third St., Bend,
Oregon 97702, or
pckesgard@earthlink.net.
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Summer
Activities to start soon at Mt.
Bachelor
The snow has stopped falling, summer has
arrived, and Mt. Bachelor is preparing
to open its summer operations. On July 4,
area residents and visitors will be able
to partake in a variety of activities.
Some of the summer highlights include chairlift rides
on the Pine Marten Express, hiking, disc
golf, sightseeing, or a casual or fine
dining experience at Pine Marten Lodge.
For more information on activities, weather conditions,
news, and events visit
www.mtbachelor.com.
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Items in the
News
Oil tops $142 a Barrel: Oil topped
out above $142 a barrel on Friday due to
the falling stock market and OPEC's
announcement on Thursday of further
price increases this year. OPEC
foresees prices rising above $150 a
barrel especially with Libya’s
announcement of a possible cut in oil
production.
Steady Economic Growth for US in 1st
Quarter: The Commerce Department
announced Thursday a one percent
annualized increase in the gross
domestic product, only slightly higher
then expected. Even though growth was
announced, the Commerce Department
pointed out many consumers and
businesses see the economy as shaky or
fragile. Normal growth is generally
between 2.5 and 3 percent.
Bend Pubs featured in Seattle Times:
The Deschutes Brewery and Cascade Lakes
Brewery were among several pubs in Bend
featured in a recent Seattle Times
article. The pubs were touted as great
places to “experience life like a local”
after a hard day of rafting, biking, or
hiking. The article also stated Bend
offers “a wealth of options for the
discerning beer fan.”
A second round of Stimulus Checks?:
Barack Obama has called for a $50
billion stimulus plan to continue to
help struggling Americans. He believes
another round of checks will help to
spur consumer spending. In a recent
interview with Bloomberg Television,
Obama said, “We know that consumer
confidence is at all-time lows. We have
to give people some sense that they
could absorb the rising costs in gas,
food, and medical care.”
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Upcoming Chamber Events
July 15: Leadership - Join us for
this presentation and learn more about
leadership and the role it plays in
business. More information will be
forthcoming in future Chamber
communications. Be sure to check
www.bendchamber.org/events
for more information. If you would like
to attend this event, please RSVP by
noon on Monday, June 14 by calling
382-3221 or going to
www.bendchamber.org.
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