Connect with us

Eugene

Area Businesses Hope To Rebound In The Waning Months Of Calamitous 2020

Published

on

With the pandemic and natural disasters taking an economic toll, it’d be an understatement to say 2020 wasn’t a boom time for most business owners.  As the holiday retail season gets underway, hopes still run high in Lane County for the rest of the year.

At the recent annual economic summit presented by the Eugene Chamber of Commerce and Oregon Community Credit Union, managers spoke of layoffs, depressed profits, and postponing expansions.

Destroyed store sign and gas station, Blue River, Oregon.
CREDIT BRIAN BULL / KLCC

Lane County Workforce Analyst Henry Fields explained how many events in 2020 hurt businesses, including Oregon’s summer wildfires.

“When you look at the height of the fires, there were nearly a quarter million workers in Evacuation Zones 1-3. That’s 21,000 businesses,” Fields told the audience via Zoom.

“That’s a tremendous impact and it doesn’t include things like disruption of work through smoke.”

Fields added that while 2020’s economic blowout is comparable to the 2008 Recession, jobs recovery has happened far quicker.  The continued fortunes for area businesses will rely heavily on people buying and supporting local.

You may also like…

Eugene1 day ago

Eugene and Lane County address reduced state shelter funding for FY26

Eugene, OR – Lane County, the City of Eugene, and local service providers collaborated during the 2025 Legislative Session to...

Eugene1 day ago

ESF crews respond to early morning house fire on Riviera Court

Eugene, OR – Eugene Springfield Fire crews responded just before 4 a.m. on December 13 to a reported house fire...

Eugene1 day ago

Eugene police make multiple arrests during retail theft operation

Eugene, OR – On the evening of December 10, Eugene Police Department detectives conducted a targeted retail theft operation at...

Crime & Safety3 days ago

Woman pIaced her daughter’s newborn in a cooIer after a faiIed CPR attempt to revive the chiId shortly after she and her spouse Iured the expectant mom, then forced her to Iie on the ground, stabed her and forcibIy extracted the baby while she Iay on the ground, kiIIing both: DA

Michigan – According to Michigan authorities, new details have emerged in the case involving 40-year-old C. BarthoIomew and her spouse,...

Crime & Safety3 days ago

Man told poIice he eventuaIIy stopped chasing his 82-year-old parent and feIt guiIty after using piIIows and a Iarge skiIIet to try to kiII the woman when she Iay down to rest because she had neuroIogicaI issues and required constant assistance: DA

Florida – A Florida man was arrested last week and is facing an attempted murder charge after police allege he...

Crime & Safety6 days ago

Father, who had consumed aIcohoI before he struck his 6-month-old baby in the head while attempting to hit the chiId’s mother as she was hoIding the chiId, then attempted to assauIt poIice officers and hospitaI staff after being handcuffed to a bed, is charged

Ohio – An Ohio was arrested last week and charged with assauIt, endangering chiIdren, domestic vioIence, obstruction and disorderIy conduct...

Eugene1 week ago

Eugene Police Department arrests suspect in downtown stabbing

Eugene, OR – The Eugene Police Department reported that a man has been arrested in connection with a December 2...

Eugene1 week ago

Eugene Springfield Fire trains firefighters ahead of shift schedule changes

Eugene, OR – The Eugene Springfield Fire Department reported that 19 firefighters began a three-week academy to train as fire...

Eugene1 week ago

City of Eugene highlights Public Space Team efforts to address homelessness and community impacts

Eugene, OR – The City of Eugene reported that its Public Space Team continues to work to keep the city...

Crime & Safety1 week ago

Man became upset that the mother of two he was seeing ‘was not foIIowing his reIationship ruIes and was also invoIved with other men and their reIationship was not excIusive’ before he Iured her to a ruraI area where he kiIIed her, then spread her remains across several areas: DA

Florida – This week, a Florida judge sentenced 32-year-old DanieI to Iife in prison after a jury convicted him of...

Crime & Safety2 weeks ago

Woman told reIative she became upset with the 3-year-old and 5-year-old she was taking care of when they asked for more to eat, despite having already eaten, before intentionaIIy pIacing both of the chiIdren’s paIms on a hot griddIe and hoIding them down, causing severe injuries: police

Florida – Florida authorities arrested 52‑year-old J. Deunas after charging her with two counts of chiId negIect causing great bodiIy...

Trending