Intel’s choice to construct a multibillion-dollar manufacturing campus in Ohio set off alarm bells in Oregon firstly of the 12 months. Now that call figures to be a difficulty in November’s gubernatorial election.
The state has one of many densest concentrations of semiconductor jobs within the nation, however Oregon is poised to overlook out on a barrage of recent pc chip factories deliberate in states from Arizona to Indiana to New York. Producers are responding to a worldwide chip scarcity, which has impeded manufacturing of all the pieces from autos to home equipment.
Oregon’s three main gubernatorial candidates addressed the problem of their first debate final month, agreeing that the state’s subsequent governor should be extra engaged with the chip business. However they’ve stark variations on how they understand Oregon’s enterprise local weather.
Democrat Tina Kotek promised to prioritize workforce improvement, impartial candidate Betsy Johnson rebuked the state for neglecting Intel, and Republican Christine Drazen lamented the state’s regulatory and tax local weather.
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“How will we preserve the subsequent Intel from transferring?” Drazan requested.
The extreme scarcity of commercial land within the Portland space is a central difficulty for the area’s semiconductor business. Large chipmakers need plots of not less than 1,000 acres for his or her clusters of “megafabs.” In Oregon, the most important parcel obtainable close to Portland is simply 200 acres.
A brand new activity pressure of presidency and enterprise leaders is exploring different potential points, too, together with the state’s regulatory local weather, workforce improvement, tax construction and incentives.
The duty pressure plans to launch its first report later this month, hoping to place Oregon to pursue a share of the $280 billion in new federal funding for scientific analysis and chips manufacturing.
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Of their current debate, not one of the candidates immediately took on the thorny difficulty of Oregon’s land-use coverage. The state zealously protects rural property past cities’ city progress boundary, preserving farms and forests whereas constraining land for housing and enterprise improvement.
As an alternative, they centered on different shortcomings or alternatives dealing with Oregon.
“Oregon makes issues. I wish to make extra issues right here. Manufacturing is essential and high-tech manufacturing is a double good for us,” Kotek stated. She opted to see the glass as half full, noting that Intel has an ongoing dedication to Oregon, which is the corporate’s largest working hub and the center of the corporate’s analysis.
Whereas she stated she doesn’t know why Intel handed over Oregon for its newest enlargement, Kotek – a longtime state consultant who most not too long ago served as speaker of the Home – stated she would pursue a private relationship with Intel’s CEO as governor.
Johnson, a former state senator, shot again at Kotek: “I really do know the reply to the query as a result of I talked with Intel executives. And the reply was, Reply the rattling telephone.”
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The state uncared for its relationship with its largest company employer, Johnson stated, and did not put aside “slightly little bit of enlargement land” for the corporate.
“No person within the governor’s workplace noticed the warning indicators or reached out to Intel when the tallest tree in our Silicon Forest is on its method out the door to Ohio,” Johnson stated. “There have been loads of warning indicators.”
It was certainly obvious for months earlier than Intel’s Ohio announcement that Oregon was prone to miss out on the brand new chip factories being constructed elsewhere within the nation. Gov. Kate Brown’s workplace had recognized Intel enlargement as a high precedence, but it surely isn’t clear what steps – if any – the administration took to pursue the brand new factories.
It may not have been straightforward for Oregon to land Intel’s enlargement, although, no matter how a lot consideration the corporate obtained from state leaders.
The corporate secured as much as 2,000 acres for its Ohio enlargement and selected a website close to Ohio State College for entry to a high engineering faculty. These are belongings Oregon can’t supply.
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Furthermore, Ohio promised Intel extra $2 billion in incentives to help the undertaking, together with a $600 million direct subsidy. Intel enjoys Oregon tax breaks price greater than $170 million a 12 months, however matching Ohio’s incentives may need required a considerable allocation from the state’s common fund.
With 1000’s of skilled chip business professionals working within the Portland space, although, and a constellation of business suppliers already available, Oregon would possibly but be interesting to smaller producers contemplating enlargement.
Drazen, previously the Republican chief within the state Home, stated Intel’s choice to increase in Ohio was stunning however shouldn’t have been shocking.
“We now have one of many worst regulatory and tax environments within the nation for companies in Oregon,” Drazen stated.
Oregon’s tax local weather is definitely effectively suited to capital intensive manufacturing. The state doesn’t have a gross sales tax to levy on industrial tools and awards expertise corporations tons of of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} yearly in property tax breaks.
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The state’s regulatory construction, although, has been a frequent supply of consternation for all method of companies who complain the state’s guidelines are complicated and cumbersome, impeding huge investments. Gov. Brown is main the duty pressure subcommittee learning whether or not regulatory modifications might make Oregon extra interesting to chip producers.
In final month’s debate, Drazan prompt Ohio’s success in attracting Intel ought to be a lesson to Oregon leaders on how you can attend to companies’ wants – and of the significance of prioritizing personal business.
“We have to acknowledge that Oregon is stronger when our enterprise sector can in actual fact develop right here,” Drazan stated.
— Mike Rogoway | mrogoway@oregonian.com | twitter: @rogoway |
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On Saturday morning at the Navy All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas, three-star prospect T’Andre Waverly announced his commitment to Oregon State over Washington and Notre Dame.
The product of Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, Washington, is ranked as the nation’s No. 96 athlete and No. 18 player in the state in the 2025 class by 247Sports. Once he arrives in Corvallis, he’s expected to play tight end.
“I believe in [offensive coordinator Ryan] Gunderson for the future,” Waverly told 247Sports’ Brandon Huffman. “And I’m excited to get to know the new tight ends coach [Will Heck].”
“[Head coach Trent] Bray seems like a real get to business guy and I like that. I don’t want a coach who will pamper me. I want someone who will tell me what I need to do and what to do.”
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Despite seeing the in-state prospect going elsewhere, tight ends coach Jordan Paopao has pulled in a promising batch at the position after signing four-star Baron Naone and three-star Austin Simmons in December.
For an athlete, a loss can shake even the strongest mental foundation. For Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, those feelings bubbled up after losing to the Oregon Ducks 32-31 at Autzen Stadium in early October.
While interviewing with ESPN before Ohio State’s semifinal game against the Texas Longhorns for the College Football Playoffs, the quarterback reflected on that feeling of loss.
“It’s been a rollercoaster. Some of the ups and downs that we did go through are why we’re sitting here today in the semifinals and probably playing our best ball right now,” Howard said. “There have been some tough moments. I’d say that Oregon loss early on in the season was rough.”
Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) walks off the field after losing 32-31 to Oregon Ducks during the NCAA football game at Autzen Stadium. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Howard, who went 28-35 passing for 326 yards and two touchdowns, remembers what he did after that fateful quarterback keeper turned slide that sealed the fate of the Buckeyes during that regular season encounter with the Ducks.
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“Coming out of it I felt like I played a good game but it was really just the ending. I sat there and stewed over just how could I have done that differently. But when we got back here I think it was about six in the morning. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was kind of at a loss. I went into the indoor and I just laid there for about an hour – hour and a half. I was in a dark place. I just wanted another crack at them so bad. I just couldn’t stop thinking about the next chance I could get,” Howard said.
It wasn’t too long before Howard got his second chance with Oregon. After winning the Big Ten Championship, the No. 1 ranked Ducks were seeded for the Rose Bowl. With the Buckeyes easily beating Tennessee at home the previous week, Ohio State faced the Ducks once more.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) motions at the line of scrimmage during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“Before every game, I listen to two voicemails that my late grandmother sent me and I’ve been doing that every game for the last three years now,” Howard said. “I listened to the voicemail and it just brought this immense peace over me. This year for the playoffs it actually probably got me going even more. It really helped.”
Those voicemails helped Howard correct his headspace before facing Oregon in the Rose Bowl. Howard went 17-26 in passing for 319 yards and three touchdowns. The Buckeyes completely shut out Oregon in the first quarter, with the Ducks only responding at the end of the second quarter with a touchdown and two point conversion. Howard reflected on the point in the game where the Buckeyes were up 34-0 against the No. 1 team in the nation.
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Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) holds a rose following the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“Ecstatic. I mean, at that point it felt like it was almost not real. It was like ‘Man, are we really up on the No. 1 team in the country right now that we were in a dog fight with at their place?’” Howard said.
The Buckeyes won against Oregon 41-21, advancing to the Cotton Bowl Classic against the Texas Longhorns, where Howard and the Buckeyes are knocking on the door of a National Championship.
“You take a big National Championship ring and hoisting the trophy up. It takes a lot of the hardships and bad things that happened this year and kind of go out the window,” Howard said.
Lewis & Clark College is opening up its residence halls early to students impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles. Odell Annex pictured here, is a residence hall on the Lewis & Clark campus in Portland.
Adam Bacher courtesy of Lewis & Clark College
Some private universities in Oregon are offering extra assistance — from crisis counseling to emergency financial aid — to students who call Southern California home.
This comes amid the devastating wildfires currently burning in Los Angeles.
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Lewis & Clark College, University of Portland and Reed College sent out messages of support to students with home addresses in Southern California this week.
Administrators at Lewis & Clark contacted around 250 undergraduate students in the region affected by the blazes. These students represent close to 12% of the college’s current undergraduate students.
The school, which begins its next term on Jan. 21, is opening up its dorms early for Southern California students at no extra cost.
“We will keep communicating with students in the weeks and months ahead to know how this impacts their next semester and beyond,” said Benjamin Meoz, Lewis & Clark’s senior associate dean of students. “That will mean a range of wraparound academic and counseling support.”
Lewis & Clark also pushed back its application deadline for prospective students from the Los Angeles area to Feb. 1.
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Oregon crews arrive in Southern California to aid wildfire response
Reed College began reaching out to about 300 students who live in Southern California on Wednesday. In an email, the college urged students and faculty impacted by the fires to take advantage of the school’s mental health and financial aid resources.
Reed will also support students who need to return to campus earlier than expected. Classes at Reed do not begin until Jan. 27.
Students at University of Portland will be moving back in this weekend as its next term begins on Monday, Jan. 13. But UP did offer early move-in to students living in the Los Angeles area earlier this week. A spokesperson with UP said four students changed travel plans to arrive on campus early.
Students are already back on campus at the majority of Oregon’s other colleges and universities, with many schools beginning their terms earlier this week.
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