By a 3-to-1 margin, Oregonians say no more data center tax breaks. Two-thirds of voters want a temporary moratorium on new data center construction. via DHM Research
Oregonians want data center moratorium and no more tax breaks, poll finds
Data centers receive $450 million in Oregon tax breaks. Voters of all political stripes want that to stop.
oregonlive.com
Former Intel President Renée James and Michelle Johnston Holthaus, former head of Intel's PC business, have launched an Oregon startup that aims to bring leading-edge technology to sports recruiting. How'd they move from semiconductors to baseball and softball? Here's that story:
Top Intel execs pivot to sports tech with a recruiting platform for young athletes
Rule 42 aims to connect high school athletes with college coaches.
oregonlive.com
“It is easy to form a certain opinion of a city when you view it only through a spreadsheet. And that it’s easy to dismiss its people when they don’t leap at the chance to give you millions.” — @billoram.bsky.social
Tom Dundon needs to see Portland at its best. He should start at a Timbers game | Bill Oram
If the new Trail Blazers owner had any interest in understanding the city with which he is at odds, there would have been no better place than Saturday's Timbers game.
oregonlive.com
Lam Research is one of Oregon's largest manufacturers. Its big Tualatin expansion, in the works for years, appears to be moving forward now. Lam says it'll spend $1.5B on the project through 2041, and add 445 researchers and engineers. Its tax deal doesn't actually require any new jobs, though.
Tech manufacturer wins Oregon tax breaks for $1.5 billion expansion
The project would add 445 high-wage jobs, a shot in the arm for Oregon's beleaguered industry.
oregonlive.com
Update: Verrus says it still intends to build its Salem data center.
Mike Rogoway@rogoway.bsky.social · 6d agoAfter howls of outrage from Salem residents, Kotek canceled the sale of 32 acres of stand land for a planned $5 billion data center. It wasn't immediately clear whether the governor's action will kill the project. Her office didn't specify what authority Kotek has to block the land sale.
After howls of outrage from Salem residents, Kotek canceled the sale of 32 acres of stand land for a planned $5 billion data center. It wasn't immediately clear whether the governor's action will kill the project. Her office didn't specify what authority Kotek has to block the land sale.
Oregon governor blocks sale of state land for Salem data center
The Salem project provoked howls of outrage from residents, furious the project had been kept secret for more than a year.
oregonlive.com
The Salem City Council has scheduled a special meeting for Monday night. Just one item on the agenda: "Consideration of the initiation of a moratorium on AI data centers and the initiation of amendments to the City zoning code to regulate AI data centers."
Mike Rogoway@rogoway.bsky.social · last wk.Salem is the latest Oregon city facing outrage from residents over data center development. At a 6-hour city council meeting last night, residents railed against an NDA that kept this project secret for more than a year. Now, Salem officials say the city may be helpless to stop the data center.
Is your Arcimoto e-trike broken down and gathering dust in the garage? A Texas company says it'll fix it for you at a new garage in Eugene, the first in a chain of repair shops that will service electric vehicles from defunct manufacturers.
Oregon electric vehicle startup Arcimoto sells assets to Texas company
The new owner says it will service Arcimoto's vehicles in Eugene.
oregonlive.com
"Dundon is not merely using the threat of relocation to exert his will on the city of Portland, he now effectively wants the city to pay him to flee town." -- @billoram.bsky.social
Tom Dundon and Portland’s ‘first-class’ headache | Bill Oram
The Trail Blazers are focused on lease language that would only apply if the team relocated, raising questions about how serious they are about staying.
oregonlive.com
Portland has been making Freightliner trucks since the company's founding in 1942. No longer. Daimler Truck North America told employees today it's shutting down its Freightliner and Western Star production lines on Swan Island and moving that work to the Carolinas.
Daimler Truck will shut Portland factory, lay off 375
The decision to shutter the factories ends 84 years of truck manufacturing in Portland, dating to Freightliner's founding in 1942.
oregonlive.com
Intel has filed layoff notices in California disclosing plans to eliminate 103 jobs at four sites. No similar notice in Oregon yet. We reported earlier this month that Intel was making significant cuts to its data center group.
Intel finished down 5.9% today at $86.30, its first close under $90 since April. Shares are down 39% from their peak a month ago. And yet...Intel is still 4x higher than where it was at this time in 2025.
Salem is the latest Oregon city facing outrage from residents over data center development. At a 6-hour city council meeting last night, residents railed against an NDA that kept this project secret for more than a year. Now, Salem officials say the city may be helpless to stop the data center.
Salem residents rage against proposed data center and city NDA that kept plans secret
Salem is the latest Oregon city to find itself facing a firestorm of backlash from residents over data center development.
oregonlive.com
After the tech industry maneuvered to circumvent a moratorium on new data center tax incentives, Hillsboro’s city council responded by secretly plotting a ban on new data center permitting. The new moratorium lasts 120 days while the city considers permanent reforms.
Hillsboro bans new data centers in surprise city council meeting
The city council said it kept its plans quiet to prevent the tech industry from circumventing the moratorium.
oregonlive.com
Public officials in eastern Oregon negotiated tax breaks and land sales to attract huge Amazon data centers. Then these officials ended up owning Amazon's local fiber vendor, which reaped $100M+ in business from the tech giant. How'd that happen? This video from @teresamahoney.bsky.social explains
Oregon's big data center scandal is happening in one of the state's smallest communities
YouTube video by The Oregonian
youtu.be
The state has made new allegations against officials in eastern Oregon, who purchased one of Amazon’s key local vendors. The DOJ alleges the officials lied to hide the value of their business with Amazon and schemed with longtime associates who “rubber-stamped” an unlawful transaction.
Oregon DOJ levies fresh allegations over local officials’ data center ‘scheme’
The state alleges public officials lied to watchdogs and accountants, and that they schemed with associates who “rubber-stamped” their deal.
oregonlive.com
Intel ended today down 7.9% despite the great quarter the company reported yesterday afternoon. Investors don't like all the spending Intel anticipates, even though it's spending that money to keep up with demand.
Intel also said for the first time that it's "committed" to the new 14A manufacturing process now under development in Hillsboro. As recently as last spring, Intel had suggested it might scrap 14A and abandon advanced manufacturing altogether.
Mike Rogoway@rogoway.bsky.social · 2w agoDuring this afternoon's analyst call (underway) Intel says it'll boost capital spending this year and it expects to increase spending "significantly" again next year as it races to catch up with demand. Wall Street isn't happy with those remarks but more spending is probably good for Oregon.
During this afternoon's analyst call (underway) Intel says it'll boost capital spending this year and it expects to increase spending "significantly" again next year as it races to catch up with demand. Wall Street isn't happy with those remarks but more spending is probably good for Oregon.
Intel sales climb 25%; shares jump
The chipmaker said it's the company's strongest growth in more than 15 years.
oregonlive.com
Agility's announcement of the new California site carried a Fremont dateline, leaving it unclear whether its HQ was still in Oregon. Agility tells me today that it's keeping its HQ in Salem. The company says it has 158 Oregon employees and 33 contractors.
Mike Rogoway@rogoway.bsky.social · 2w agoAgility Robotics' new California engineering hub will be almost as big as its Oregon "RoboFab" -- and it may employ more people. Agility has said for months that its future in Oregon depends on the state expanding its own tech ecosystem.
I've loved listening to Calabro since he was in Seattle in the early '90s. Hate to see him go.
Joe Freeman@freemanjoe.bsky.social · 2w agoKevin Calabro tells me has decided to step away from Blazers broadcasting and will no longer call games for Portland. The team and its veteran play-by-play man had been in discussions on a new contract, but he called the offers "subprime" and he has decided to move on.
South Korean press says SK Hynix might buy Intel's uncompleted fabs in Ohio, make memory chips there instead.
Exclusive: SK hynix in talks to buy Intel’s Ohio chip campus for U.S. memory production
The deal would let the Korean chip giant meet Washington's demands for U.S.-based production while giving cash-strapped Intel a lifeline for its struggling foundry business.
koreajoongangdaily.com
SEC filings indicate Vacasa founder Eric Breon has raised $13.5m for his next venture, Fairly. The filing indicates his board includes Portland venture capitalist Matt Compton. Some background on Fairly from 2024:
Vacasa founder Eric Breon tries again with startup, Fairly, focused on vacation rental management
A startup called Fairly hopes to thrive where Eric Breon's last company, Vacasa, flopped.
oregonlive.com
A data center was one option considered for the old Hynix site before Stratacache bought it. Now, data centers appear back on the table.
Lookout Eugene-Springfield@lookout-es.bsky.social · 2w agoEugene is asked to confirm if data center is allowed at former Hynix site By Grace Chinowsky
Agility Robotics' new California engineering hub will be almost as big as its Oregon "RoboFab" -- and it may employ more people. Agility has said for months that its future in Oregon depends on the state expanding its own tech ecosystem.
Oregon robotics company chooses California for its big expansion
Agility Robotics has said its future in Oregon depends on the state expanding tech ecosystem.
oregonlive.com
More layoffs coming at Intel, perhaps as soon as this week.
Intel plans fresh layoffs, this time in its data center group
Intel's global workforce has shrunk from more than 130,000 workers in 2022 to around 81,000 today.
oregonlive.com
Intel closed down 5.8% today at $96.98, its first close under $100 since June 5. Down 32% from its peak of $142.35 on June 30. (Still up 325% from a year ago.) Intel reports Q2 financial results a week from today.
Insightful, informed look at the dilemma Portland faces with the Blazers playing "hardball" over arena reservations. Amid all the shouting, there might yet be a path to a deal that both sides can live with. But it's gonna be an ugly few months. by @matthewkish.bsky.social
As the Trail Blazers dig in on Moda Center costs, Portland looks for leverage
If negotiations collapse, the city could be left with an aging arena that needs $400 million in work and doesn’t have a marquee tenant.
oregonlive.com
