News and Information

Stay informed and connected with the latest foodservice and lodging industry news.

For more information or media inquiries, please email John Hamilton or contact our communications department at 503.682.4422.

Latest ORLA Press Releases

ORLA partners with Succeed Management to provide resource members

April 30, 2013 - PRWeb

ORLA has partnered with Succeed Management Solutions to provide an enhanced member offering, the ORLA Resources Manager, an online software suite that was created by Succeed.

Student Chefs Flourish at Statewide Culinary Event

February 16, 2013 - Wilsonville, OR

Culinary students representing 21 high schools from around the state competed at the Oregon ProStart High School Culinary Championships with the team from Seaside High School taking first place, earning them a trip to the National ProStart Student Invitational®.

Statewide Culinary Event to Showcase Oregon’s Future Workforce

January 24, 2013 - Wilsonville, OR

ProStart students representing 21 high schools from around the state will compete at the Oregon ProStart High School Culinary Championships on February 16, 2013.

Industry News

Dark times no more as empty Portland restaurants fill up

May 3, 2013 - Portland Business Journal

One of Portland’s most prominent restaurant buildings sold last week.

Insurers skip Oregon's small employer insurance exchange

May 2, 2013 - Portland Business Journal

Insurers say most demand for health coverage will come from individuals, not small business.

Take the Restaurant Industry Operations Survey and get a free report

April 29, 2013 - National Restaurant Association

Report provides data on cost of sales, gross profit, direct operating expenses and other performance.

Bill allowing four-year driver's cards passes Oregon House

April 30, 2013 - Statesman Journal

Backed by ORLA, SB 833 allows four-year driver’s cards, instead of regular eight-year licenses.

ORLA partners with Succeed Management to provide resource members

April 30, 2013 - PRWeb

Resource Manager assists members in HR administration, training, and risk management practices.

Take the Restaurant Industry Operations Survey and get a free report

April 29, 2013 - National Restaurant Association

Report provides data on cost of sales, gross profit, direct operating expenses and other performance.

OLCC rejects a curfew on bar patios

April 25, 2013 - Willamette Week

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission won't be restricting bar-patio hours.

Oregon ProStart team competes nationally

April 24, 2013 - ORLA

Seaside H.S. culinary team takes 14th at the National ProStart Invitational in Baltimore.

Four-year university could boost central Oregon tourism

April 21, 2013 - The Oregonian

Expansion of OSU-Cascades Campus into a four-year university could enhance local tourism.

ORLA co-recipient of Travel Oregon's Tourism Development Award

April 15, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

Travel Oregon announced its recipients of the 2012 Tourism and Hospitality Industry Achievement Awards.

Driver's license debate continues

April 11, 2013 - Statesman Journal

Senate Bill is less about proof of legal presence in the U.S. and more about proof of driving knowledge.

Hoteliers bottle more business in wine country

April 18, 2013 - HotelNewsNow

Guests travel to popular wine destinations for three things: wine, restaurants and entertainment.

Customization key to developing kids' meals

April 3, 2013 - Nation's Restaurant News

Foodservice brands focus on customization and variety when developing kids’ menus.

Restaurant chains cut estimates for health-law costs

March 27, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

Some operators say the law may not be that costly after all.

Portland City Council Votes to Require Sick Leave

March 14, 2013 - ABC News

City Council voted unanimously to make Portland the fourth U.S. city to mandate paid sick leave.

New I-9 Forms Published

March 8, 2013 - USCIS

The revised Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 includes new fields, improved readability.

Rising beef prices worry restaurateurs

March 8, 2013 - Portland Business Journal

U.S. Department of Agriculture reports the average price of beef rose 25 percent between 2005 and 2012.

NY beverage ban squashed

March 11, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

A Supreme Court Judge ruled the proposed NY beverage ban on sugary drinks invalid.

Notice of Visa/MC class action settlement

February 13, 2013 - ORLA

Recently merchants have been notified of a proposed class action settlement.

Despite criticism from industry, Portland sick leave moves forward

March 7, 2013 - The Oregonian

Business representatives appreciated the process, but still feel the proposal falls short.

New FMLA Poster Available

March 5, 2013 - AH&LA

Employers must post an updated version of the Labor Department's Family & Medical Leave Act poster.

Restaurant job growth hit 17-year high in 2012

February 7, 2013 - National Restaurant Association

The restaurant industry was an engine of growth for the nation’s employment recovery in 2012, and the trend is expected to continue in 2013.

Facebook ramps up hotel industry presence

February 6, 2013 - HotelNewsNow

Whether hoteliers greatly anticipate or desperately fear the day social giant Facebook ramps up its hotel industry presence, it’s clear that day has come.

How restaurants can make the most of Valentine's Day

February 6, 2013 - Nation's Restaurant News

Valentine’s Day, typically one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants, falls on a Thursday this year — which has operators seeing dollar signs instead of hearts.

Americans with Disabilities Act opens pools to disabled swimmers

February 1, 2013 - CNN

Some 23 years after Congress used federal muscle to open jobs, public transportation and public accommodations to disabled Americans, another venue has come under the federal mandate -- swimming pools.

Proponents talk up sick-leave plan at council hearing

January 31, 2013 - Portland Tribune

The city of Portland will establish a task force of citizens, including business representatives, to fine-tune a proposed sick-leave mandate for employers, in hopes of sending it to the Portland City Council for a vote on March 6.

Social Security tax restoration will hurt restaurants

January 14, 2013 - Portland Business Journal

The restoration of the full Social Security deduction will impact a major tenant class. Every restaurant will be affected as consumers pull back spending in light of the return to full Social Security deductions.

Oregon lottery bills target problem gambling

January 25, 2013 - The Oregonian

Rep. Carolyn Tomei has no illusions that she can stop Oregon's state-sponsored gambling, which pumps $1 billion into the state's general fund every two years. But she's on a mission to do just that when the Legislature convenes next month.

Even if it enrages your boss, social net speech is protected

January 21, 2013 - The New York Times

As Facebook and Twitter become as central to workplace conversation as the company cafeteria, federal regulators are ordering employers to scale back policies that limit what workers can say online.

Portland Commissioner Fritz releases sick leave plan

January 17, 2013 – The Oregonian

Portland businesses that don't already give time off to employees would need to provide sick leave under a proposal released Thursday. If approved, it would only take effect if the Oregon Legislature doesn't pass a statewide law governing sick leave.

Cover Oregon lands $226 million for health exchange

January 17, 2013 – Portland Business Journal

The group overseeing Oregon’s health insurance exchange has received a giant federal grant to help administer it. Cover Oregon will collect $226.4 million to help the exchange, which will provide a health plan marketplace, become fully operational.

Oregon Health Exchange could serve 471,000 users by 2016

January 10, 2013 - Portland Business Journal

Oregon's health insurance exchange could serve as many as 471,000 state residents by 2016.The exchange is a federal health reform-driven initiative that aims to provide a transparent marketplace for small business and individual insurance buyers.

FDA proposes new rules to food-safety act

January 7, 2013 - National Restaurant Association

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration proposed two additional rules to the Food Safety Modernization Act that it says would help prevent the spread of foodborne illness. The new rules are part of an ongoing effort focusing on safety and prevention methods associated with domestically produced and imported foods.

Fiscal deal offers some benefits to restaurateurs, NRA says

January 3, 2013 - National Restaurant Association

Congress's passage of the American Taxpayer Relief Act has not only averted the so-called "fiscal cliff," but also tax increases for many individuals and small business owners, like restaurateurs, the National Restaurant Association said.