BUSINESS
4A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015
Local inventor serves up a charge
DR-1 gets its
charge from
many sources,
even the sun
By MIKE WILLIAMS
EO Media Group
One Astoria businessman
hopes to make things a little
brighter the next time the power
goes out with the latest model
of his portable power station.
This unit can jump-start
your car, keep the lights on and
even run the microwave, inven-
tor Bruce Forster said. The As-
toria resident recently demon-
strated the latest generation
of his portable power supply,
called the Go Volt DR-1.
He’s still researching the
name with the U.S. Trademark
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available.
Forster, a ham radio operator,
got inspired by the devastation
of Hurricane Katrina to create a
versatile, portable power supply.
In December 2007, the storm
that walloped the region added
urgency to the task. Forster was
among those left without elec-
tricity for six days.
“And I didn’t like it,” he
said.
The result is a rolling box
with an inverter, three 120-volt
AC outlets, eight Anderson
Powerpole DC connectors and
four 12-volt cigarette light-
er-type outlets. It comes stan-
dard with a 2-foot-by-4-foot
100 watt solar panel that can
charge the on-board battery
while running electrical devic-
es.
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the product Forster’s devel-
oped. He got a research grant to
develop two prototypes of the
current model from an inves-
tor on the Long Beach (Wash.)
Peninsula.
He’s sold nine units of
the earlier generations, and
he’s seeking investors to
help market and develop the
MIKE WILLIAMS — EO Media Group
Bruce Forster describes the operation of the DR-1. The name of the unit stands for di-
saster relief.
EDWARD STRATTON — The Daily Astorian
John Kimbrough runs Eye On You Security Guards
LLC out of Seaside.
MIKE WILLIAMS — EO Media Group
The panel and outlets of the DR-1 sit over a Group 31
deep-cycle marine battery.
project further.
Forster sees many appli-
cations for the product. He’s a
Seventh-day Adventist and vol-
unteers for disaster response.
The generator can be transport-
ed to areas off the grid and set
up in a few minutes, he said.
In addition to charging from
the solar panel, the DR-1 can
also be charged by hooking it
up to a running vehicle, a gas
or diesel generator or from a
wall outlet. And you can con-
tinue using it while it charges,
he added.
“You have to take most sys-
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The unit was charging more
than 13 volts using the solar
panel during a demonstration
on a cloudy morning outside
Englund Marine. Forster chose
the location for the demonstra-
tion because many of the com-
ponents used to build the DR-1
were purchased at Englund
Marine. Abe at Crossover Car
Audio helped with the design,
he added.
“The people that helped me
deserve to be recognized,” he
said.
He’s tested it at home. He
and a friend used an earlier ver-
sion of the unit to build a wing
on his shed. They ran a drill, a
saber saw and other tools and
even made lunch in the micro-
wave oven. At the end of the
day the battery had a net in-
crease in power from when the
day started, he said.
The suggested retail price
is $2,495. Forster will deliver
within 200 miles and train the
MIKE WILLIAMS — EO Media
Group
Bruce Forster sets up the
DR-1. The portable pow-
er station can be charged
with a solar panel, a run-
ning vehicle, a generator or
a wall outlet.
buyer to use the unit. He’s also
ready for wholesale offers.
The DR-1 uses a Group
31 deep-cycle marine battery,
which accounts for most of its
80-pound weight. It comes with
a power cord and connectors.
For more information on the
unit call 503-325-7161 or 503-
308-2372.
Unemployment rate drops slightly
Clatsop County’s season-
ally adjusted unemployment
rate for January was 5.9 per-
cent, down slightly from the
previous month and year. It
was below the statewide rate
(6.3 percent) and slightly
above the national rate (5.7
percent). Clatsop County has
the seventh-lowest unemploy-
ment rate in the state, tied
with Tillamook and Yamhill
counties.
Seasonally adjusted non-
farm payroll employment in
the county fell by 430 in Jan-
uary, 50 more than expected.
That left its total nonfarm job
pool at 17,430.
In January, the private sec-
tor cut 310 jobs, and govern-
ment employment dropped
by 120. Retail trade lost 140
jobs; leisure and hospitality
cut 120; and food manufac-
turing trimmed 40. Private ed-
ucational and health services
showed the only real growth
in January, adding 30 jobs.
Local government, excluding
education dropped 80 jobs in
January, and government edu-
cation shed 50.
January’s total nonfarm
payroll employment was 400
more than its level last year.
Industries adding the most jobs
over the past year included re-
tail trade (130); leisure and
hospitality (120); professional
and business services (110);
and construction (60). Indus-
tries shedding the most jobs in
the past year were nondurable
goods manufacturing (160)
and state government (20). Lo-
employed people residing in
the county to change without
a similar change in the num-
ber of payroll jobs located
within the county.
Tillamook County
cal government education add-
ed 80 jobs over the year.
Columbia County
Columbia County’s sea-
sonally adjusted unemploy-
ment rate in January was 7.4
percent, a .3 percent decline
from December but the same
as one year prior.
The county lost 160 non-
farm payroll positions in Jan-
uary, 70 fewer than expected.
That left nonfarm payroll em-
ployment at 10,070.
The private sector shed
130 jobs, and government
employment decreased by 30.
Trade, transportation and util-
ities shed 50 jobs; construc-
tion dropped 40; educational
and health services trimmed
20; and local government ed-
ucation decreased by 30 jobs.
Total nonfarm employ-
ment in January was 110 more
Final QuickBooks
class coming soon
Clatsop Economic Devel-
opment Resources (CEDR)
continues its series of Quick-
Books workshops from 8:30
to 11:30 a.m. March 19 with a
session on using the program
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In the workshop, partici-
pants will learn how to cre-
ate an income statement, a
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managerial report. It will also
show how to review standard
reports to see how a business
is performing.
The instructor is Mark
Columbia County’s sea-
sonally adjusted unemploy-
ment rate in January of 5.9
percent was down slightly
from the previous month and
even more from the year prior.
The county lost 120 non-
farm payroll jobs in January,
as expected. That left non-
farm payroll employment at
8,680. The private sector cut
all 120 jobs, and government
employment was unchanged.
than one year before. Private Leisure and hospitality shed
sector employment rose by 30 70 jobs; and retail trade cut
over the year, and government 40.
January’s total nonfarm
employment increased by 80.
Industries adding the most employment was 290 more
jobs since last year were man- than one year before. The pri-
ufacturing (110); and trade, vate sector added 270 jobs,
transportation and utilities and government chipped in
(50). Industries losing jobs 20. Industries adding the most
included professional and jobs included retail trade (90);
business services (100); and professional and business ser-
vices (60); educational and
construction (50).
The apparent loss of many health services (50); and food
jobs in professional and busi- manufacturing (30).
The Oregon Employment
ness services is likely due to
the lack of reporting detail by Department plans to release
D¿UPLQWKHWKDWLQGXVWU\$Q the February county and met-
unknown number of the jobs ropolitan area unemployment
may still exist in the county, rates March 24, and the state-
but are simply not reported. wide unemployment rate and
Local government added 60 employment survey data for
February March 17.
jobs over the year.
For more information
Many Columbia County
residents commute elsewhere on the employment data,
www.qualityinfo.org/
for work, so it is not uncom- visit
mon for the total number of press-release
GO ONLINE
www.dailyastorian.com
Redwine, a Clatsop Com-
munity College accounting
instructor and adviser for the
college’s Small Business De-
Clatsop County
velopment Center.
Preregistration is required,
and space is limited. Email
SBDC@clatsopcc.edu for a
registration link, or call 503-
Sellers: Stewart M. Butler
Sellers: Thomas D. De-
338-2402. The workshop
Gandi and Susan J. DeGandi
costs $39, payable at the event and Thomas M. Butler
Buyer: Stewart M. Butler
Buyers: George P. Vance
by check or credit card. It will
Address:3DFL¿F:D\ and Deborah A. Vance
take place at CCC’s South
Address: 35364 Searls
County Campus, located at Gearhart
Price: $539,220
Lane, Astoria
1 5RRVHYHOW 'ULYH LQ
Price: $410,000
Seaside.
Property Transactions
Making
the
Dollar
INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES
BY EDWARD STRATTON
John Kimbrough,
Executive Manager
Eye On You Security LLC
Seaside
503-739-5557 or
eyeonyousecurity@hotmail.com
His employees aren’t security guards, says John Kim-
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WUDLQHG OLFHQVHG DQG LQVXUHG VHFXULW\ RI¿FHUV WR ORFDO
businesses. Each employee has gone through at least 14
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the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.
Kimbrough said he’s looking for employees, especially
bouncers, and starts them off at a minimum of $12 an
hour.
How would you describe your business?
“We’re a security guard contract company. If some-
body needs security for something, they call me, and I
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employees, then myself.”
How did you get started in this business?
“An acquaintance needed a bouncer, asked me. I said
‘sure,’ then I got into security, because you have to be
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worked with Hauer’s Security out in Astoria, and he (Ed
Hauer) had talked about someday he’ll retire … . So guys
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start up my own business, get it going, hopefully two,
three years down the road, he might retire, and I’ll take
over everything. That’s why. That, and I want to provide
jobs in the area, because a few years ago, jobs were really
KDUGWR¿QG1RZ\RXFDQ¶W¿QGHPSOR\HHVEHFDXVHHY-
erybody’s got a job. This is my third year.”
Who are your main clientele?
“Right now, My two main are Merry Time Bar & Grill
in Astoria and Chart Room bar in Astoria. Those are ev-
ery weekend, then of course I work with the chambers
(of commerce), Seaside Convention (center), the Astoria
Event Center, the Armory. Anything that happens at the
Armory, they need security, they call me. And then also
the fairgrounds.”
What are some of the quirks or challenges of run-
ning your business?
“Especially being a bouncer, you have to be really pa-
WLHQW,FDOOLWDVVHFXULW\RI¿FHUVZH¶UHJORUL¿HGEDE\VLW-
ters, because that’s our job, to babysit people; that’s it.
So it’s stressful; it’s challenging, because you have to do
a lot of listening, You have to understand the laws, what
we can and cannot do. We’re private security. Basically,
we’re in a sense cops for the private sector. We’re doing
the stuff the cops don’t want to do. Going to the bars,
watching every single person all the time. A person could
be drinking, having a good time, then all of a sudden, just
instantly, their face changes, their body changes, and you
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and starts beating up on somebody. It’s preventative.”
Seller: Susan Hill
Buyers: Carmen G. Gas-
ton and Patrick J. Gaston
Address: 116 Watts Way,
Cannon Beach
Price: $400,000
Sellers: Timothy D. Elliott
and Paula G. Elliott
Buyers: Sean R. Corbin
and Marion P. Olmsted
Address: 37885 U.S.
Highway 26, Seaside
Price: $318,000
Sellers: Kurt M. Rummell
and Cynthia Rummell
Buyers: Justin D. Malin
and Michelle L. Malin
Address:1RUWKZLQG
Court, Hammond
Price: $250,000
Seller: Lindi F. Overton
Buyer: )LGHOLW\ 1DWLRQDO
Title Insurance Co.
Address: 936 Grand Ave.,
Astoria
Price: $236,486