Regional Business News

We know that this is a time of growing economic uncertainty and anxiety for many of you, but we hope that you can take solace in the fact that much of our region is holding up relatively well under these stresses and strains.

Commercial bankruptcy filings are up 111 percent in Oregon, 91 percent in Utah and 83 percent in California, which leads the nation with nearly 12,000 business filings this year.

Now, Canadian government scientists based in Edmonton’s Northern Forestry Centre say they have developed a model to more accurately estimate how many beetles are killed when temperatures plunge.

Figures recently released by the Census Bureau offer a glimpse at the pre-existing economic situation that led to the burst of the housing bubble.

The survey provides a snapshot of economic activity in the states of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

The pressure for real estate and the short-term perspective of fancy Wall Street financial instruments have changed the old line companies utterly.

Catering to consumers put off by the accents of Bangalore, Manila and other call-center hubs around the globe, Dell will guarantee — for a price — that the person who picks up the phone on a support call will be, as company ads mention in bold text, "based in North America."

Montana saw the largest percentage decrease at 13.8%.

Wiley said DSHS leaders are hopeful that despite the cuts, the department will still meet improved response standards. But, he said, “We’re not sure what the impacts are going to be. Everyone has to pick up the slack.”

South Dakota, which ranked 15 in 2004 (the last time the Index was published), has assumed the notable spot as the nation’s most economically free state, while New York consistently remains the most economically oppressed state, ranking 50 in all three editions of the Index.