⁄From the Editor⁄ Picks, Shovels, Pickers and the Sunday Paper AS THIS ISSUE went into production, the weather was turning from a pleasantly crisp false fall to a hotter and brighter second summer — reminding me that nothing is as predictable as I might imagine. Nine years ago, when Oregon’s voter initiative to legalize recreational marijuana went into effect, I heard the phrase “pickets and daggers” — or “picks and shovels” — more times than I can count. The idea was that in any economic boom, like a gold rush, the people who fare best are not those directly involved in the booming industry (the prospectors) but the people selling them the tools they need to do their jobs — the pick-and-shovel merchants. This summer Garrett Andrews took a look at the industry that sprang up to serve the cannabis field during the mid-2010s boom, and saw how those businesses are doing now that the industry is faltering due to a glut of supply and a decrease in demand. The question was: Did entering the “non-plant-touching” segment of the industry really turn out to be a sure bet? The answer: yes and no. Some ancillary businesses have gone under as entrepreneurs in the primary industry struggle to pay them, but plenty are staying alive (“Skating at the Edge,” p. 24). I also took a look at a weed-adjacent industry for this issue. In 2018 hemp was removed from the federal government’s list of controlled substances, opening the door for more research into agricultural uses of the plant, whose champions have long touted its versatility and the durability of products made from it — which can range from paper to bricks for building homes. Research universities like Oregon State University are taking notice, and so are Oregon tribes. Earlier this year, OSU’s Global Hemp Innovation Center announced that it’s partnering with 13 tribes from around the west to research ways hemp growth and manufacturing could be used for economic development (“Hemp Hopes,” p. 20). For our cover story, “Come Back Singing” (p. 44), Ellee Thalheimer traveled to Shaniko — a Wasco County ghost town with just a few dozen residents — to see how residents are working to revive the town. Music has been a part of Shaniko’s culture for decades, and it still is: The town hosts an annual music festival in August, and locals also get together for a potluck and jam on the second Saturday of every month. There’s more to reviving a struggling town than organizing a music festival or a potluck — but bringing community members together seems like a pretty optimistic start. And for “Where’s the Paper?” (p. 34), Hannah Wallace started with a weekly annoyance—her own copy of the Sunday New York Times was not coming as expected — and widened her lens to talk to other frustrated subscribers, and then to the companies involved. She found that something as simple (and once as reliable) as home delivery of a print newspaper has become oddly complicated. It’s one of a few surprising turns we found reporting stories for this issue — one that I hope will be as interesting to read as it was to work on. VOLUME 47 ⁄ NUMBER 7 OREGON BUSINESS (ISSN 02798190) is published 8 times per year, monthly except Mar/Apr, Jul/Aug and Oct/Nov/Dec issues, by MEDIAmerica Inc. at 12570 S.W. 69th Ave., Suite 102, Portland OR 97223. Subscription inquiries should be directed to 503-445-8811. Subscription charge is $24.95 per year, $49.95 for two years in the USA. Single copies and back issues available at above address and at selected newsstands. The editor is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. Copyright © 2024 by MEDIAmerica Inc. All rights reserved. All material is protected by copyright and must not be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Printed in Oregon. Periodicals Postage Paid at Portland, OR. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Oregon Business, 12570 S.W. 69th Ave., Suite 102, Portland OR 97223 EDITORIAL EDITOR Christen McCurdy christenm@oregonbusiness.com ART DIRECTOR Joan McGuire joanm@oregonbusiness.com STAFF WRITER Garrett Andrews garretta@oregonbusiness.com STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Jason E. Kaplan jasonk@oregonbusiness.com COPY EDITOR Morgan Stone CONTRIBUTING WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Johnell Bell, Bonny Jo Peterson, Ellee Thalheimer, Hannah Wallace PUBLISHING PUBLISHER Courtney Kutzman courtneyk@oregonbusiness.com EVENTS MANAGER Craig Peebles craigp@oregonbusiness.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Evan Morehouse evanm@mediamerica.net ADVERTISING AND PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Greta Hogenstad gretah@mediamerica.net DIGITAL PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Alison Kattleman alisonk@mediamerica.net PRESIDENT AND CEO Andrew A. Insinga CONTROLLER Bill Lee BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN André W. Iseli PRESIDENT Andrew A. Insinga SECRETARY William L. Mainwaring TREASURER Win McCormack 6
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