Two Bend startups among 2026 Bend Venture Conference winners

BEND, Ore. -- Economic Development for Central Oregon announced Monday the winners of the 2026 Bend Venture Conference, where five companies received investment commitments totaling $960,000 and Bend-based startup VeriBuy received a $40,000 cash award.

Monday, Oct 19, 2026

C. Oregon's innovation community to gather for 4th annual High Desert Innovation Week

BEND, Ore. - Central Oregon’s entrepreneurial community will take center stage this fall as Bend hosts the fourth annual High Desert Innovation Week, October 13–16.

Wednesday, Sep 30, 2026

Semiconductor, nuclear industries poised for green boost thanks to OSU chemistry breakthrough

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State University scientists have patented a better and more eco-friendly process for separating two metals that are critical in their pure forms for the semiconductor and atomic energy industries.

Friday, Sep 25, 2026

Pacific Power to charge new Oregon data centers for all costs tied to growing energy need

SALEM, Ore. -- Oregon’s second-largest investor-owned electric utility could soon directly assign the costs of new energy projects and infrastructure needed for data centers to data center operators.

Thursday, Sep 24, 2026

The rarely mentioned, "other" data center debate: How to pronounce it?

BEND, Ore. –- The debate, uproar, backlash – whatever you might call it – over AI and, more precisely, those large data centers and their impacts shows no signs of easing up, no matter who wins the midterms and which party ends up controlling Congress.

Monday, Sep 21, 2026

Prineville's Samson Sky gets $80 million investment for Switchblade Flying Car

PRINEVILLE, Ore. -- Samson Sky, makers of the Switchblade Flying Car, announced they have secured an investment of $80 million from Dubai-based Matin Group.

Friday, Sep 18, 2026

Gov. Kotek pauses data centers on state land. Capitol demonstrators want her to go further.

SALEM, Ore. -- About 100 people showed up outside the Oregon State Capitol on Tuesday to call for a three-year pause on new data center development in the state.

Wednesday, Sep 9, 2026

Wyden urges Google, Meta and TikTok to stop putting small businesses at risk of violating state privacy laws

Wednesday, Sep 2, 2026

Democratic lawmakers propose three-year moratorium on new large data centers in Oregon

SALEM, Ore. -- Four Oregon Democratic lawmakers, and two hopefuls, are calling for a three-year moratorium on new data centers in the state in response to growing public concern over energy and water demand, farmland loss, tax fairness and community benefits, and a general lack of transparency from the industry.

Wednesday, Aug 5, 2026

Oregon receives $15 million in federal funds to boost semiconductor industry

SALEM, Oregon -- Oregon secured $15 million in federal funding to grow the state’s semiconductor industry, and it could receive up to $160 million over the next decade depending on its progress.

Wednesday, Jul 15, 2026

La Pine voters may decide this fall on new rules to regulate data centers

LA PINE, Ore. — Weeks after a packed audience cheered La Pine city councilors for rejecting a roundly criticized crypto data center proposed for an industrial park, the city's voters are being asked to send a measure to the fall ballot that would set noise, light and reporting rules for such facilities.The proposed La Pine Data Center Accountability measure has made it past a challenge period. The backing group issued a news release and launched its website and Facebook page late Monday.What the Measure Would DoThe three chief petitioners and other supporters now have until mid-August to gather enough voter-verified La Pine voter signatures — just over 300 — to make the city's November ballot.The proposed measure would limit nighttime noise to 55 decibels at the property line, restrict tonal and low-frequency noise, and limit generator noise that can be heard beyond the property line, except during emergency operation or limited maintenance and testing. It also would require exterior lighting to be fully shielded and directed downward, and limit color temperature and blue-light output to reduce light pollution.Any La Pine data centers also would be required to submit annual public reports detailing their electricity and water use, generator run-time and the number of full-time equivalent jobs.Background: The Boxminer ProposalThe city council voted unanimously late last month to reject a 20-megawatt digital asset mining and artificial intelligence (AI) data center that Boxminer had proposed for a vacant, nearly 20-acre parcel at the La Pine Industrial Park on Reed Road. Hundreds packed two La Pine City Council meetings on the topic, mostly to express deep concerns over the proposed data center's impacts, from noise and light pollution to water and power demands.Why Not a Ban?Chief petitioner Deren Ash, a software developer and security professional, said: 'An outright (data center) ban is probably not legal, based on (state) land-use laws. We went the nuisance route to be legally bullet-proof, and it sort of matches what (the Boxminer) data center was already promising.'The measure's backers said it 'will reduce the nuisance impacts that data centers have on surrounding communities while providing residents with greater transparency regarding water and electricity consumption' and is designed to 'help protect community livability and preserve La Pine's dark skies.'

Monday, Jun 15, 2026