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Welcome to MCEDD's July
newsletter! In an effort to keep you informed of regional
events related to economic development, we have included
news from across our five-county district. Have a great
month!
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New Phone
Numbers for MCEDD Staff |
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MCEDD has a new phone system! Our
main line (541-296-2266) will still get you to our friendly
office manager, Pat Hoffman. If you want to speak directly
with another staff member or leave a voice message, though,
you now have an option of calling directly. Direct line
phone numbers are listed below.
- Lee Curtis, Executive Director: 541-397-0028
- Pat Hoffman, Administrative Assistant: 541-705-2511
- Steve Schafroth, Loan Fund Manager: 541-705-2512
- Amanda Remington, Project Manager: 541-705-2517
- Link Shadley, Project Manager: 541-705-4127
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Susan
Powers Appointed to NSA Oregon Investment
Board |
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Susan Powers has been appointed to
the Columbia River Gorge Oregon Investment Board for one of
the Hood River County positions.
Oregon Investment
Board is a seven member volunteer board appointed by the
Governor of Oregon. The board is charged with policy
direction, funding criteria and funding decisions. There are
two members appointed from Multnomah, Hood River and Wasco
Counties and one at-large member.
Susan will serve a
three year term, beginning June 1, 2007 and ending May 31,
2010. She succeeds Gail Hagee, who previously served as a
Hood River representative to the OIB.
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Visit the OIB website to learn
more... |
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Husum
Farmers' Market is Organizing |
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Across the road from the Husum Hills
Golf Course along Hwy 141 in Washington just south of Husum,
the owners of the soon-to-open White Water Café are working
with Hooba's Restaurant and Gorge Grown Food Network to
organize a farmers' market to be held at the site of the
White Water Café on Saturdays this summer.
Husum
Farmers' Market organizers seek farmers, winemakers and
other food producers interested in participating in this
market. The Husum Farmers' Market will begin in July and run
into September from 9 a.m. to early afternoon. Water and
power will be available on-site.
To make this event
a success, organizers need to hear from individuals
interested in vending, regardless of the size of your
farm/garden or prior market experience. If you would like to
participate in the Husum Farmers' Market this summer,
contact Roberta VanDeHey at crmfg@gorge.net.
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Oregon
Renewable Portfolio Standard |
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Oregon Department of Energy has
created a four page summary of the recently passed Renewable
Portfolio Standard (RPS) for the State of Oregon. The Oregon
RPS requires that utilities and electricity service
suppliers serving Oregon must include electricity generated
from qualifying renewable energy sources. The percentage of
qualifying electricity that must be included varies over
time, with all utilities and electricity service suppliers
obligated to include some renewably-generated electricity by
the year 2025
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To read the summary, click
here... |
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Gorge
Commission's New Commissioner |
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The Columbia River Gorge Commission
welcomed Carl McNew to its ranks in June, replacing
Goldendale resident, Kenn Adcock. The Klickitat County Board
of Commissioners appointed McNew of Snowden, Washington to
serve the remaining portion of Adcock's term. McNew will
represent Klickitat County through July 2009.
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Read the full press release
here... |
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Biggs
Bridge Closure Commuter Options |
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The US 97-Biggs Rapids- Sam Hill
bridge closure will begin in the late summer of 2007. The
bridge will be closed to replace the existing deck with a
more durable concrete one.
If you regularly use this
bridge, WSDOT encourages you to utilize alternate commuting
options such as carpools. WSDOT recommends
CarpoolmatchNW.org as a resource for commuters.
To
register for this service, go to:
http://www.carpoolmatchnw.org. If you are unable to access
this resource, please contact WSDOT toll free at (866)
973-6879.
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Read more by clicking
here... |
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Office of
Rural Policy Update |
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The Oregon Legislature has granted
the State of Oregon Governor's Office of Rural Policy an 8
month reprieve. Created in 2004, the office was designed to
coordinate the formulation of rural policy for the State of
Oregon.
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RARE
Participants Assist Mid-Columbia
Communities |
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The Resource Assistance for Rural
Environments (RARE) Program increases the capacity of rural
communities to improve their economic, social, and
environmental conditions, through the assistance of trained
graduate-level participants who live and work in communities
for 11 months.
Current RARE participants in
Mid-Columbia communities include:
- Joel Klug, City of Cascade Locks
- John Dean, City of The Dalles
- Nick Kraemer, Port of Cascade Locks
- Katie MacKendrick, Gorge Grown Food Network
These individuals will end their year of
service in August 2007. We would like to thank them for all
of their tireless hard work developing projects in their
communities! |
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Impact of
Small Businesses |
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Of the 26 million firms in the
United States today, 98% are small businesses with fewer
than 20 employees.
These business create 60 to 80
percent of net new jobs annually and generate more than 50
percent of non-farm private gross domestic product.
The SBA's 2006 report to the President endorses,
"Small business owners.. continue to provide the vitality
needed to spur new innovation and continued economic
expansion for years to come."
You can read more
statistics about the economic impact of small businesses in
the Economic Impact of Small Business status sheets compiled
by CFED. Click the link below.
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Read more... |
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Columbia
Gorge Washington Wines Recognized |
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Seattle Wine Awards, June 1,
2007
The 2007 Seattle Wine Awards announced the
winners of Washington State's most comprehensive wine
recognition program. More than 450 wines were entered into
the second annual event that brought Seattle's most
respected wine professionals together to evaluate wine and
determine by consensus Washington's top current releases.
Columbia Gorge Wine Winners
Awards of
Excellence
- Gold: Maryhill Winery 2006 Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley
- Gold: Maryhill Winery 2006 Viognier, Columbia Valley
- Silver: Maryhill Winery 2004 Zinfandel Reserve
Vintners' Awards: Outstanding Washington
Wine Honors
- Waving Tree Winery 2005 Sangiovese, Columbia Valley
- Maryhill Winery 2004 Sangiovese "Reserve"
- Maryhill Winery 2004 Syrah , Columbia Valley
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Seattle Wine
Awards |
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Annual
Report on US Wind Power |
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The U.S. Department of Energy has
released their "Annual report on U.S. Wind Power
Installation, Cost, and Performance Trends: 2006." The
report, released in May 2007, discusses large scale wind
applications in the U.S. including trends, prices, and
factors impacting the domestic wind market.
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To read the report, click
here... |
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GTA
Profiles High Tech Businesses |
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The Columbia River Gorge Technology
Alliance (GTA) promotes the technology sector in the
Columbia River Gorge. To help understand the wide range of
member businesses, the GTA provides a monthly "member
profile" to introduce members and the services and products
they offer. With 44 active, dues paying members and an
additional 111 participants, the profiles are updated
frequently. To view current GTA members and profiles, visit
http://www.crgta.org and click on "Current Members" or
"Member Profile."
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Gorge Technology
Alliance |
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Calendar
of Events |
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7/12/07- Oregon Investment Board
meeting at 10:00 a.m. For more information visit
http://www.mcedd.org/oib.htm
7/19/07- Cascade Locks
Action Team meeting at 12:00 p.m. Meeting will be held at
Charburger Restaurant in Cascade Locks.
7/24/07- Gorge
Technology Alliance meeting at 6:30 p.m., featuring Gary
Rains of Rains Marketing. For more information visit
http://www.crgta.org
Wineries in the Columbia Gorge
Winegrowers Association have numerous events in the month of
July. Visit http://www.columbiagorgewine.com/events.htm for
details.
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Submit
your News! |
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Reading this newsletter is a good
thing, having your news included is even better. Send it to
us! Items are required by the third week of each month.
Please send items to amanda@mcedd.org.
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