Metro Council President Tom Hughes is on the final leg of a 10 day trade mission to Asia, his third trip overseas in the name of economic development since he took office in January.

Metro Policy Advisory Committee votes to endorse a proposed 310-acre expansion of the urban growth boundary near Hillsboro. After Hillsboro's mayor says his city needs more land for new jobs, committee endorses adding 115 acres near Forest Grove.

The Metro Council is expected to choose its second Chief Operating Officer next month. Nearly half the applicants came from outside of Oregon.

Metro, the Port of Portland, Portland Business Alliance, Business Oregon and the Oregon Chapter of NAIOP are undertaking a comprehensive review of the region’s inventory of large industrial sites and assessing their readiness to support new private-sector jobs.

Many high school students struggle to balance schoolwork, extracurricular activities and a part-time job. De La Salle North Catholic High School freshman Vishal Narayan is no exception. He spent his weekdays going from English to Phys Ed., from home to soccer practice and from school to work this academic year. The difference is where Vishal spent his Fridays and alternating Mondays, working as an intern in the Metro Council office from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

On June 20, the Hoyt Street Station Community Café will open its doors to Lloyd District residents and neighbors, serving healthy and delicious salads, sandwiches and soups with a focus on locally sourced ingredients. Named after the future nearby Portland Streetcar stop, the café is a joint collaboration between Metro’s Oregon Convention Center and its food and beverage service contractor, Aramark/Giacometti Partners, Ltd.

"In recruiting for the new COO, the Metro Council's goal is to find a seasoned leader that keeps Metro on a trajectory of evolution and continuous improvement, collaboratively engages with our regional partners and effectively manages a uniquely complex organization," wrote Metro Council President Tom Hughes in an email on Wednesday.

More cities expected to offer opinions on redistricting before Thursday's first public hearing. Also, another Metro senior staffer is headed to Salem.

Supporting a strong local economy, creating good jobs, and making it faster and easier for people and businesses in the region to get where they need to go takes strong leadership and cooperation. But getting any of that done takes good relationships. The strategy has worked well for Metro Council President Tom Hughes in his former roles, and it's one he's using now as he visits chambers of commerce throughout the region to build relationships with local businesses and community leaders. Hughes has spent time with owners and managers of businesses large and small, discovering the challenges they face and how Metro might be able to help. Hughes' tours were organized by the chambers' presidents, and include conversations about transportation and land use as well as economic development.

Proposed budget is a nearly 10 percent cut from 2010-11 agency spending and includes a net elimination of 7 full time positions.