For those that have the dollars, there’s a worthy fundraiser for the Institute of Applied Ecology happening Saturday. It’s the Invasive Species Cook-Off, which features professional food cart chefs cooking up invasive species and vying for a People’s Choice Award, and there’s also live music, a raffle, and silent auction too.
This isn’t the first Cook-Off, and according to the organizers guests are frequently surprised that many well-known foods are both edible and invasive. And, while these foods are admittedly delicious, they are also foods that usurp resources from our native ecosystems.
The event is spendy: $50 per adult for general admission, $30 per single child under age 12, student, or unemployed person. Newspaper staffers can’t afford these types of events, but we will say that IAE is an organization that we respect, and we’ve appreciated them as a source in the past. So, if you can afford it, reserve a ticket by clicking here.
This event is set for 5:30 to 8:30 pm, Saturday, August 17, at Common Fields.
Another Large Credit Union Expands into Corvallis
New to Corvallis, Oregon Community Credit Union will be opening a 9th Street location in October.
The branch will offer the usual checking and savings accounts, plus a 24-hour drive-up and walk-up video teller. Unlike a traditional ATM, the video component can facilitate calls to credit union staffers that can in turn offer additional support and handle more complex transactions than a traditional ATM.
Beyond the basics, the new branch will offer financial planning with onsite investment services, and onsite mortgage loan services.
OCCU has more than $3.4 billion in assets. The credit union was founded in Eugene in 1956 and has more than 260,000 member-owners. Unlike banks, credit unions are member owned nonprofit cooperatives – but they are federally insured like banks.
After OnPoint’s previous entry, this will be the second large credit union to expand into the Corvallis market in as many years. The new location will be at 840 NW 9th Street #251.
Les Schwab Tires Seeks a Sale
Les Schwab Tires has quite the presence in our fair little burgh, but they are a big business. For instance, the Bend based company has over 500 stores across 13 western states, and more than 7,000 employees. Back in 2020, Meritage Group bought them for $3 billion, and now they would like to sell their stake for about $7 billion.
Reuters reports that Meritage has engaged Goldman Sachs to launch a sale of the once folksy seeming Oregon based tire retailer. Apparently private equity firms and other tire retailers are interested – but nobody is leaking who those potential suitors may be. We’ll keep you posted.
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