Local social media erupted last week with reports that Bed, Bath & Beyond’s old digs would soon see new tenants. Folks saw fixtures and vehicles and movement outside the space, and some even did their own research, learning that Burlington Coat Factory had bought up a number of leases nationwide from the formerly great Beyond.
The leases had become available through a bankruptcy court, and between that and the vehicles, folks started to put two-plus-two together. But, we at The Advocate found it odd, the location didn’t seem to meet the usual profile for a Burlington Coat Factory, so we googled and did a little phone calling of our own.
Here’s What We Learned: So we checked the listing on LoopNet, which led us to local Commercial Associates broker Gary Pond, who at press time said the space hasn’t been leased. Pond said the activity passersby have been seeing is the property owner clearing out the space so it will show better.
Obviously, we’ll avoid shamelessly snarking the pitfalls of gathering one’s news on social media, and then chiding that this may be a good time to consider supporting your friendly neighborhood hyperlocal newspaper with a subscription or, maybe an ad buy. Nope, we’d never-ever do such thing… not us, no siree…
Future Semiconductor Workers Will Start Here in Corvallis: Oregon State University has become a founding member of a university-industry collective tasked with developing the United States’ next generation of semiconductor workers.
The Northwest University Semiconductor Network, led by Micron Technology, Inc., will support research and experiential learning opportunities in the computer chip industry, with equitable access for underrepresented students, including those in rural and tribal communities.
Micron and the universities in the network plan to align with a pair of industry groups, the American Semiconductor Academy and the SEMI Foundation, that are partnering on an initiative to build a comprehensive workforce development program through the combined efforts of universities, community colleges and companies.
“Oregon State University is proud to be a founding member of Micron’s Northwest University Semiconductor Network and is committed to work with other regional universities and Micron to fully serve the technical needs and demands of the semiconductor industry and expand STEM access to underrepresented rural and urban students, including women,” said OSU President Jayathi Murthy. “The university has joined with more than 200 universities and community colleges nationally and over 1,000 companies which are committed to advance the semiconductor workforce supply and research innovation.”
Oregon State and the other 12 founding partners of the university semiconductor network were identified based on strong undergraduate and graduate programs in engineering and other STEM fields, their research and development expertise and the hands-on learning opportunities they provide.
OSU has made contributing to the stability and growth of the semiconductor industry a university priority. Last month, OSU was picked to lead a $1 million National Science Foundation project to advance semiconductor technologies in the Pacific Northwest.
And on Sunday, the Oregon Legislature awarded Oregon State $72 million in state bonds to assist in the construction of a $213 million research and teaching facility that will serve as center of innovation and teaching in technology areas such as semiconductor design and fabrication.
“As a member of the network, OSU will create certificate and degree pathways to build a deep, inclusive and robust talent pipeline to serve the needs of the semiconductor industry and lead an innovation engine that will drive economic growth in the region through research in use-inspired and sustainable semiconductor technologies,” said Pallavi Dhagat, professor of electrical engineering and computer science in the OSU College of Engineering.
Collectively the six-state network, which includes Portland State University and six Pac-12 Conference schools, features teaching labs and cleanrooms, programs that connect with community colleges, and an emphasis on diversity programs designed to advance equitable access to an engineering education.
In addition to OSU and Portland State, the founding institutions are the universities of Oregon, Washington and Utah; Washington State, Idaho State, Boise State, Montana State and San Jose State; the University of California, Berkeley; and the University of California, Davis.
“Partnerships between institutions of higher education, government and industry leaders like Micron are critical so that together, we can build an inclusive and robust talent pipeline equipped with the high-tech skills that will advance U.S. technology innovation and leadership,” said April Arnzen, Micron senior vice president and chief people officer. “Micron is proud to be expanding our university partnership model through the U.S., leveraging the regional proximity to our leading research and development center in Boise and reaching students that have been traditionally underrepresented in the semiconductor industry, including rural and tribal communities in the Northwest.”
More Beaver Tech News: In case you missed our earlier reporting, the university banked another $72 million towards its $213 million Innovation Complex. With prior funding coming from a combo of donors and other sources, the latest dollars came as a last a minute legislative state bonding approval. According to the university, the project is on lock for Decemb3r ground breaking.
Construction Jobs: Oregon ranked fourth in the nation for seasonally adjusted construction job growth, adding 8,000 new workers from May 2022 to May 2023, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. This represents a 7% year-over-year gain, the Portland Business Journal reports. The numbers don’t differentiate between residential and nonresidential construction jobs.
Your 2023 Oregon Business Legislation Review…
Here’s your handy summary of business bills that passed or died with the end of Oregon’s 2023 legislative session late last month.
Retail Theft: SB 900, which will help fund sting operations to combat organized retail crime, passed during the session’s final days. The $5 million this bill provides local law enforcement is a significant step in Oregon’s battle against this problem. The bill’s counterpart, SB 318, earmarks funding for an analyst and two investigator positions within the Department of Justice to help coordinate organized retail crime efforts. It was included in the so-called “Christmas tree” bill.
R&D Tax Credit: HB 2009A passed the House and Senate during the session’s final days. The bill was the vehicle for a research and development tax credit. The credit as passed, remained limited to the semiconductor industry only.
Public Works Apprenticeship: HB 2649 increases the share of apprenticeship hours required by public works contracts. Required hours will jump from 12% to 15% by 2027, and contractors that fail to meet the requirement will be penalized even if they try to comply in good faith. The bill also expands the types of public works contracts to which that requirement applies to ODOT projects and every higher education project, including community college projects. The Senate passed the bill during the session’s final week.
Contractor Liability: HB 2057 died, but Oregon Business & Industry anticipates it will make a return in future sessions. It would have made contractors liable for wages owed by subcontractors. Opponents argued that BOLI is supposed to be securing unpaid wages, and that the bill would have reduced opportunities for new construction companies, as contractors would have been incentivized to only work with entrenched industry players.
Debt Collection: HB 2008 died, it would have changed Oregon’s debt collection statutes by, among other things, substantially increasing the wages exempt from garnishment. Oregon Business Industry believes the bill is likely to be considered again in future sessions.
Warehouse Bill: HB 3568 would have included Oregon among the growing number of states to adopt a so-called Warehouse Worker Protection Act. It died. Most readers will remember this bill would have outlawed performance targets for workers. OBI anticipates the bill is likely to be resubmitted for consideration in future sessions.
SALT Workaround: HB 2083A ultimately passed. The bill is a two-year sunset extension, through 2024, for Oregon’s SALT workaround program, which originally passed in 2021. High-tax states like Oregon began implementing SALT workaround policies after passage of the federal 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which limited itemized deductions for state and local taxes through 2025. The program allows Oregon pass-through entities to elect payment of an alternative business income tax while receiving a correlated personal income tax credit. This structure is revenue neutral for the state but allows Oregon pass-through entities to exceed the $10,000 deduction cap in the 2017 federal law.
And now, your calendar of local business events…
Real Estate Pre-License Class: Have you been thinking about a career as a real estate agent? This class is the first step. An accelerated pre-license weekly class, self-study, and a 9-5 pre-test cram session on Saturday, September 9th will get you ready for the Oregon Real Estate Broker’s License Exam. You must attend all class sessions through Zoom OR in person and have online access to complete the self-study portion of this course.
This seminar is offered through Zoom video conferencing and in person at Coldwell Banker’s North Albany Branch.
Starts Wednesday, July 5, from 6 to 9 pm. Offered through the Linn-Benton Community College Small Business Development Center. $695. Click here to learn more and register.
Chamber Success Event, Accountability and Culture: Are you a leader who has been asked to hold others accountable? Is it a challenge? Are you concerned, frustrated, and worn out when teams are not doing what they said they were going to do when they said they were going to do it?
The key is to engage and regain and establish trust.
After attending, you will leave with an insight into how the culture of the business affects accountability. And we will inspire you to leave with a minimum of one way to improve your accountability and an idea capable of engaging others that help them be accountable, You’ll be inspired to share what you’ve discovered with others.
$70, with a $5 discount to Corvallis Chamber of Commerce members. 7 to 10 am, Tuesday, July 11 at the Chamber office, 420 NW 2nd St. Click here to learn more and register.
Property Manager Pre-License Class: If you love problem solving, working with people and multitasking, then this in-demand property management class is for you. This course prepares you for the State of Oregon Property Manager License Exam and covers the role of property managers, tenant relations, fair housing, lease agreements, and more. You must attend all class sessions through Zoom and have online access to complete the self-study portion of this course.
Offered through Zoom video conferencing by the Linn-Benton Community College Small Business Development Center. Starts Tuesday, July 11, from 6 to 8 pm, this class runs for seven sessions ending Aug. 22. $600. Click here for more information and to register.
Free Going Into Business Class: Offered by the LBCC Small Business Development Center – in just one session, you’ll get all the basic information you will need to begin planning a successful business. Rules, regulations, financing, customers, markets, and feasibility will all be discussed in this FREE seminar! This seminar is offered through Zoom video conferencing.
6:30 to 7:20 pm, Tuesday, July 11. Click here for more information and to register.
40th Annual Chamber Golf Scramble: 9 am to 2 pm, Tuesday, July 13 at Trysting Tree Golf Course
By The Corvallis Advocate staff, with statehouse reporting from Oregon Business & Industry
Do you have a story for The Advocate? Email editor@corvallisadvocate.com