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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 2015)
MBE 2015 Special Business Edition Business Briefs Oregon’s Annual Job Growth Reaches 10-Year High According to numbers released by the Oregon Depart- ment of Employment earlier this month, Oregon’s payroll employment continues to grow rapidly, adding 4,400 jobs in August, following a revised gain of 7,400 in July. In Au- gust, two major industries accounted for most of the gains, as leisure and hospitality added 2,100 and government add- ed 1,600. The other 12 major industries performed close to their normal seasonal patterns. Over the past 12 months, Oregon’s payroll employment has expanded by 60,400 jobs, or 3.5 percent. This is the state’s fastest job growth rate since February 2005. In terms of total jobs added during a 12-month period, the last time Oregon added more than 60,000 jobs was toward the end of the high-tech boom, when during the 12 months ending in May 1997, Oregon added 61,500 jobs. Job gains over the past 12 months were widespread among the industries as nearly all of the major industries grew by between 3 percent and 5 percent. The fastest growing indus- tries each rose by close to 5 percent: leisure and hospitality (+9,400 jobs, or 5.1 percent); retail trade (+9,700 jobs, or 4.9 percent); and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+2,700 jobs, or 4.8 percent). Other key industries also grew rapidly over the year including manufacturing (+5,800 jobs, or 3.2 percent) and construction (+3,000 jobs, or 3.8 per- cent). None of the major industries cut jobs substantially during the period, but financial activities and mining and logging each were essentially flat. Despite strong payroll job gains in recent months, Ore- gon’s unemployment rate edged up to 6.1 percent in August from 5.9 percent in July. However, the unemployment rate continues to be lower than last year, when in August 2014 it was 6.9 percent. maximum grant is $300,000. Grants are awarded through a competitive process. BBB Announces Cyber Security Awareness Month The Better Business Bureau has designated October as National Cyber Security Awareness month. Better Business Bureau serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington has partnered with the STOP.THINK.CONNECT campaign to raise awareness about digital and online security. As hackers become more sophisticated, it’s important to understand how to recognize potential problems and to pro- tect personal information. According to a STOP.THINK. CONNECT survey, 90 percent of respondents indicated they wanted to learn more about keeping safe online. The same survey showed that consumers were more concerned about identity theft than losing their job or healthcare cov- erage. BBB encourages online users to educate themselves about cyber security risks and offer these tips on protecting com- puters, tablets and mobile phones while online: • Protect personal information: Start with creating unique and creative passwords for each account and change pass- words frequently. Consider using two-factor authentica- tion for your accounts which requires entering a special code. Never give out your password. Delete unsolicited phishing emails asking for personal information. • Connect with caution: Beware of links in unsolicited emails or those found in ads on social media sites. Be cau- tious when using public Wi-Fi – these networks are not se- cure. When entering financial or credit card information, be sure that the website is security enabled (https). • Share with care: Limit your online presence and the infor- mation you share. Check privacy settings on social media. Never post personal details anywhere online. Ask permis- sion before tagging photos of friends. • Secure Smartphones. Be sure to password protect and lock your smartphones. Turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when not actively in use. Download apps only from trusted sourc- es. And pay attention to cell phone bills – unauthorized charges and increased data usage may indicate the phone has been hacked. See BRIEFS on page 10 PDC Announces Community Livability Grants Applications are open for PDC’s Community Livability Grant Program. PDC is seeking proposals from community-based orga- nizations for projects that foster vibrant and healthy neigh- borhoods and improve the prosperity of area residents and businesses. Projects must be located within the Gateway Regional Center, Interstate Corridor, Lents Town Center, or Central Eastside Urban Renewal Areas, or Old Town/ Chinatown neighborhood. Funds are available through the PDC Community Livability Grant Program for permanent, real property improvements. Projects must add, expand, or improve physical space. Priority will be given to projects that benefit communi- ties of color or people with low incomes, and that promote widely shared prosperity. Such projects would, for example: • Support wealth creation opportunities for small business owners • Improve access to jobs and workforce development ser- vices • Honor and enhance the neighborhood’s cultural diversity and history • Deliver a community asset tailored to the community’s expressed priorities and opportunities Proposals are due by 5 p.m. Nov. 13. To apply, visit http:// www.pdc.us/for-residents/community-livability-grant.aspx. PDC will hold four Office Hours sessions in October and early November for applicants who want hands-on assistance. To make an appointment, visit http://www. eventbrite.com/e/clg-program-office-hours-with-pdc-staff- tickets-18690920045. In fiscal year 2015-2016, the following funds will be avail- able: $300,000 for the Interstate Corridor URA; $175,000 for the Gateway Regional Center URA; $300,000 for the Lents Town Center URA; $200,000 for the Old Town/Chi- natown Neighborhood; $100,000 for the Central Eastside URA. Typical grants range from $10,000 to $50,000; the September 30, 2015 The Skanner News Minority Business Enterprise Edition Page 9
