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Intel, Lattice, and Micron trading lower ahead of Nvidia’s earnings call, Portland’s Metro Council hires failed Prosper Portland Executive Director, Montana National Guard troops return from Spokane fires, additional 7.5% tariff added to Chinese goods, US manufacturing at four-year high, US oil reserves drop to lowest level since 1982.

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PNW Market Look

As of market close 8.24.26

Bessent could tap near $1 trillion Treasury General Account to fund bond buybacks, sources said (CNBC)

Headline Roundup

Silver Bow Mining enters into agreement to buy bankrupt Montana Tunnels Mining (MTS)
Starcloud will start satellite production in Woodinville after massive fundraise (PBJ)
Seattle Public Schools struggles to ink new contract with teachers union as school year nears (KUOW)
Idaho ranks as the second-fastest-growing state in the United States for its annual population growth rate, behind only South Carolina (IBR)
Idaho State Police set to build $29 million forensic lab in Meridian (BD)
Costco will shut down for 24 hours on Sept. 7 (ORL)
A Boise recycling program is ending for some plastics. (IDS)
US manufacturing activity hits more than four-year high; input prices elevated (Reuters)
Supreme Court sides with Trump administration on mail voting restrictions ahead of midterms (ST)
Supreme Court allows some Trump vote-by-mail limits ahead of midterm election (CNBC)
Trump administration proposes $103,000 fee for H-1B visas after legal setback (ST)
Grande Ronde Hospital receives $4.6M investment in rural healthcare (LGO)
Galbraith closed for herbicide spray Aug. 24–25 (CD)
Striking workers will need to seek jobs to qualify for WA unemployment benefits (WSS)
Bend's worst-kept secret is official: Panera is coming (COD)

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Community Highlight

Metro President Hires Former Prosper Portland Director as Chief of Staff (WW)

“Metro Council President Juan Carlos González has hired Shea Flaherty Betin, former executive director of Prosper Portland, to serve as his chief of staff.

González won the Metro Council presidency in the May election. But he was appointed to the job early after former President Lynn Peterson stepped down this spring in anticipation of taking a job as Lake Oswego city manager (a job that has since gone to someone else).

Flaherty Betin joins González’s staff a little over a year after he stepped down as Prosper Portland’s interim executive director in June 2025 at the request of Mayor Keith Wilson. Wilson asked for Flaherty Betin’s resignation after a fractious budget fight over a proposal by a handful of city councilors that would’ve stripped Prosper of most of its general fund dollars. Records at the time showed that Flaherty Betin had lobbied Prosper supporters and its grantees to advocate against the proposal; in addition, a text thread obtained by WW at the time showed that Flaherty Betin, among other agency leaders, had spoken critically at times of the council as the budget discussion took place in real time.

Though the council proposal would eventually fail, the trickle-down effects cost Flaherty Betin his job. Wilson shortly thereafter requested that he step down and resume a lesser role at Prosper, but Flaherty Betin decided to leave entirely instead.

At the time, the mayor’s spokesman said that a few councilors had “[raised] concerns about leadership at Prosper Portland.”

Rip’s Spotlight

Montana law restricting AI-generated political content heard in federal court (KTVQ)

“A federal judge in Billings is working through a case that includes the use of AI images in political material.

A law passed by the Montana Legislature in 2025 prohibits the use of AI-generated content meant to deceive a voter, but only when distributed within 60 days before an election.

Both sides argued in U.S. District Court in Billings on Friday.

Former state Sen. Dan Bartel sent out campaign material showing three candidates holding pride flags and wearing preferred pronoun buttons.

His attorneys say those images were not deepfake and that he did not break the law.

"They started with a real image of the candidates and then they put on, basically, gay, LGBTQ plus," said state Sen. Janet Ellis, D-Helena.

Schulman says Senate Bill 25 goes too far and violates free speech and due process rights.

"The problem is when a state comes in and views that its mission to arbitrate the truth and for the sake of free and fair elections, we need to limit the amount of speech," Schulman said.

Schulman says candidates have an opportunity to rebut any political material.

"Throughout history, free and fair elections are a rough-and-tumble process of everybody speaking their mind, and it's not always going to be in an agreeable and pleasant way," Schulman said.

Commissioner of Political Practices Chris Gallus says he plans to dismiss the complaints against Bartel, saying the specific mailers discussed in court were political satire, not deepfakes.

"They didn't have the deepfake disclaimer on them," Gallus said. "And based on the satirical nature of the speech involved, it wasn't required. And that's what I concluded."