Latest news from Portland Business Journal http://portland.bizjournals.com/portland/breaking_news.html?ana=from_rss Portland Business Journal : breaking news from Portland Iterasi lays off half its employees http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/rc/30414/www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/12/01/daily41.html?ana=from_rss Iterasi Inc., a small Portland company, laid off four people this week, out of nine total employees. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 23:55:48 GMT Portland Business Journal Nordstrom, Costco same-store sales sag in November http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/rc/30414/www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/12/01/daily39.html?ana=from_rss Comparable-store sales last month fell at both Nordstrom Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corp., but not enough to frighten analysts. (JWN) (COST) Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:44:28 GMT Portland Business Journal Starbucks expects holiday ‘weakness’ http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/rc/30414/www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/12/01/daily38.html?ana=from_rss Starbucks Corp. officials said they plan further cost-savings moves — a total of more than $400 million — in fiscal 2009 and warned of a “projected weakness during the holiday period.” (SBUX) Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:43:34 GMT Portland Business Journal 3Q earnings down for Cascade Corp. http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/rc/30414/www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/12/01/daily37.html?ana=from_rss Cascade Corp. on Thursday reported a 16 percent drop in third-quarter earnings. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:42:03 GMT Portland Business Journal Umpqua commercial banking head to retire http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/rc/30414/www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/12/01/daily40.html?ana=from_rss Umpqua Holdings Corp., the parent company of Umpqua Bank, has announced that Dave Edson, the president of commercial banking, will retire in March. (UMPQ) Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:40:49 GMT Portland Business Journal Alaska Airlines’ monthly traffic dips again http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/rc/30414/www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/12/01/daily36.html?ana=from_rss Traffic at Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air fell again in November, just like it did in October. (ALK) Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:02:15 GMT Portland Business Journal Bally Total Fitness files for Chapter 11 http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/rc/30414/www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/12/01/daily35.html?ana=from_rss Health club company Bally Total Fitness and certain affiliates have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the company said Wednesday. Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:59:33 GMT Portland Business Journal Nordstrom to pay $60K fine http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/rc/30414/www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/12/01/daily34.html?ana=from_rss Nordstrom Inc. has been fined $60,000 by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for failing to report that some hooded jackets and sweaters that it sold contained drawstrings at the hood and neck. (JWN) Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:35:14 GMT Portland Business Journal Zumiez November same-store sales drop 15 percent http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/rc/30414/www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/12/01/daily33.html?ana=from_rss November same-store sales (sales at stores open at least a year) fell 15 percent at Zumiez Inc. compared with the same time last year. (ZUMZ) Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:34:17 GMT Portland Business Journal Macy’s sales take 13% hit http://www.bizjournals.com/ct/rc/30414/www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2008/12/01/daily31.html?ana=from_rss Macy’s Inc. posted a 13.3 percent decline in its same-store sales in November, below analyst expectations, as it recorded fewer post-Thanksgiving shopping days in the month. (M) (WMT) (TGT) (JCP) (KSS) (GPS) (SKS) Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:31:48 GMT Portland Business Journal