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MCEDD
serves Klickitat, Skamania, Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman
counties. We promote the creation of family-wage jobs, the
diversification of the economic base, and the growth,
development and retention of business and industry within the
five-county district.
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Welcome
to MCEDD's June 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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MCEDD assists Grass Valley
market |
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Over
the years MCEDD's Revolving Loan Funds have helped to finance
some fairly large projects. We helped with financing for Bear
Mountain Forest Products in Cascade Locks way back in 1990.
That business is now the largest manufacturer of wood fuel
pellets in the Western U.S. We put the financing package
together and participated in the funding for the 30,000 square
foot building for Round Top Window Products at the Port of The
Dalles. These and other big projects get a lot of attention,
and rightly so. But, in this issue we would like to let you
know about a smaller project where MCEDD's financing role is
just as important to the business that received our funding.
A small business that is vital to the community of
Grass Valley is going to reopen this summer with the
assistance of a MCEDD loan. The Grass Valley Market
unfortunately closed last fall. Because MCEDD had a lien on
the property, when Jim Short and Carol Thompson wanted to
purchase the store we could have said that we had to be paid
off. That would have made it very difficult, if not
impossible, for them to get the financing they needed to do
the project in a way that would make the store viable. They
had a loan approved by a bank for part of the funds they
needed but our participation was critical.
The new
owners are fixing the store up and are remodeling the second
story to have two apartments once again. They will live in one
and rent out the other. They are updating the equipment and
stocking the store well. Our Staff and Loan Committee were
convinced that this plan was how this business was going to be
successful. We are also aware how much this business means to
the Grass Valley community just as things are starting to grow
in Sherman County.
Whether it is a big project or a
very small one, MCEDD's participation in providing that loan
to fill the gap in the financing is what can mean the
difference between the project going forward or not happening.
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Recycle Used Technology |
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Oregon
StRUT (Students Recycling Used Technology) is a program
incorporated into Wasco and Hood River County schools that
provides an opportunity for recycling used technologies.
Students involved in StRUT evaluate, repair and
refurbish donated computers which are in turn donated to local
schools. The educational component of the program provides an
opportunity for students to become comfortable with
technology. The program also offers training for teachers,
recycling events, and technology workshops.
Individuals and businesses with used technology can
drop items off at participating high schools, at the StRUT
warehouse, or at the Hood River Transfer Station. There is a
$10 charge for monitor recycling and the program does not
accept televisions, but is able to take almost any other
electronic device. Currently, the program is in Hood River and
Wasco County schools, but would like to expand to schools in
Skamania and Klickitat counties.
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For more
information, click
here... |
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OIB funds Columbia Arts |
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Columbia
Arts was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Columbia River Gorge
National Scenic Area Oregon Investment Board to help fund a
marketing campaign for the Columbia Center for the Arts'
second season. Oregon Investment Board funds will be used for
regional and local advertising to help draw more people from
outside the gorge to the Center.
Columbia Center for
the Arts is located in downtown Hood River and houses a
142-seat theatre, an art gallery, and a multi-use studio
space. It opened in spring 2006 with the goal of increasing
the number of people participating in the arts. The Center's
grant funds will be used to promote the upcoming season, which
starts in July. The OIB grant is matched by a $4,000 grant
from the Hood River Visitor's Council and $5,000 in funds
committed by Columbia Arts.
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Click here for more
information on the
OIB.. |
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Gorge Artists Open Studios
Success! |
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The
initial Gorge Artists Open Studios tour was a great success!
On the weekend of April 14-15, 2007, 34 artists from
five communities across the Gorge opened their studio doors to
the public. Over 330 tour guides for the event sold, bringing
out 500 art tourists from Portland, the Gorge, Vancouver, and
nearby regions. Individual studios reported visitor counts as
high as 175 and most artists reported moderate sales from the
event. Art tourists said they were excited to see art in the
making and the artists involved expressed a sense of a growing
gorge-wide art community.
Artists comments from the
event included: "I wanted to let you know what an incredible
weekend it was. There were hordes of people who drove many
miles to attend the event. It was amazing!!!." "Sold LOTS of
art." "We did quite well in terms of sales especially
yesterday morning when several tour guests came back to
purchase some of the larger pieces."
Next year the
open studios event is planned for April 12-13, 2008.
Applications for artists to participate next year are due
October 1, 2007. |
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Visit GAOS
website... |
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Oregon Governer's Office
Appointments |
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Governor
Kulongoski appoints citizens of Oregon to more than 200 boards
and commissions that create policy, promulgate rules and
regulations, license professionals and advise agencies in the
State of Oregon. And all boards have at least one, if not
more, public members.
There are a number of positions
open right now, many of which require members of the public.
You need not have specific expertise or experience to be a
public member; just a willingness to serve, learn the issues
and be committed to the work.
You are invited to go to
the website http://governor.oregon.gov/Gov/boards.shtml,
scroll down to our vacancy list of positions available now, or
review the current expiration list. At this site you will also
find descriptions of the boards, the handbook of board
membership and the interest form which serves as the
application. Please call 503-378-8471 with any questions you
may have. |
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Extraordinary Volunteer: Joan
Silver |
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Ever
wonder who is responsible for these newsletters? MCEDD relies
on staff and volunteers to provide you with news each month.
Joan
Silver is our extraordinary volunteer reporter who
helps find and write some of the stories and articles included
in this newsletter. Next time you see Joan, make sure to give
her a big THANK YOU for all the work she is doing.
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Columbia Gorge Wine Maps
Available |
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The
Columbia Gorge Winegrower's Association has released their new
map for 2007. The new map features not only local wineries,
but also information about the area and a visitor's guide. For
a hard copy of the map, stop by the MCEDD offices or a local
winery. For an electronic copy, click on the link
below.
MCEDD supports the Columbia Gorge Winegrowers
Association through our efforts to support growing industry
clusters in the Gorge. |
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Click here for
electronic map
copy... |
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Regards to Rural
Conference |
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Rural
Development Initiatives, Inc. (RDI) is pleased to present the
fifth annual Regards to Rural Conference - a gathering to
Inform, Inspire, and Celebrate. . . all that is Rural! The
2007 conference will open on Thursday evening, October 25 and
conclude Saturday afternoon, October 27, 2007 at Skamania
Lodge.
New for 2007 is RDI's 15th year Anniversary
Celebration. Learn, share, create, and take home innovative
ideas and hands-on tools that you can immediately put to use
in your community. You'll:
- Gain practical
skills for successful rural community and economic
development
- Learn about
successful community revitalization
projects
- Connect with
community leaders, funders, and elected
officials
- Recharge your
energy to make a positive difference in your
community
RDI
hosts Regards to Rural to give back to rural community leaders
what you give to us: inspiration and hope for the communities
we love. Please save the date for an event you won't want to
miss! Scholarships are available.
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Visit RDI website.
Click
here... |
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Port of Cascade Locks
Warehouse |
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In
May, MCEDD's director, Lee Curtis, organized a visit to the
Port of Centralia's Master Planned Industrial Campus. The Port
of Cascade Locks recognized the success of that facility and
has hopes of implementing a similar program for its industrial
lands. To kick-start the program, the Port is renovating an
1,800 square foot warehouse building on approximately two
acres of property zoned for light industrial. The site is in
an ideal location overlooking the Columbia River and Herman
Creek. The facility has water, electricity, and is ready for
any interested business. Please contact the Port of Cascade
Locks Offices at 541-374-2401 to receive further information.
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PubTalk June 5th |
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Join
the Hood River Pub Talk on Tuesday, June 5th from 5:30 to 7:30
p.m. at Horse and Hound Pub in Hood River.
Pub Talk is
an informal event that provides time for networking, a
presentation by a keynote speaker, and pitches to the audience
by two early stage companies. These early stage companies are
most commonly seeking advisors or capital investment. Horse
and Hound is located at 403 Oak Street in Hood River (look for
the British Flag).
5:30 p.m. networking 6:30 p.m.
Keynote speaker, Marc Cameron, CEO, Daverci Solutions 7:00
p.m. early stage company presentations. $10 in advance or $15
at the door.
To RSVP contact Bill Fashing at
bill.fashing@co.hoodriver. or.us or 541-387-6863.
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Bluebird Housing in
Bickleton |
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In
a joint project sponsored by PPM Energy, and accomplished with
the efforts of Bickleton High School, 250 bluebird houses are
now in place in an area that provides prime bluebird habitat.
This cooperative venture between the community, the
high school and the Big Horn wind energy project of PPM is a
win for all. |
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More information on
PPM... |
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Cherry Festival Boosts Local
Vendors |
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The
Dalles Cherry Festival, put on by The Dalles Area Chamber of
Commerce, is a celebration that runs for over a week at the
end of April, culminating in the traditional parade and
downtown vendors fair. It provides a showcase for many local
businesses. This year, over seventy vendors lined the downtown
streets and of those, thirty eight were local people, twenty
one of whom were new to the event. New to the area, Google
showed how to sign on to their email, Costco was taking
membership applications, and Relay for Life brought healthful
food, to name just a few of the many diverse attractions. It
is easy to overlook the economic contribution that these
vendors make to the area, look for them as the season
progresses with all the festivals and events that take place
each summer in the Gorge. |
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Port of Hood River Offices
Move |
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The
Port of Hood River moved to new quarters in early May, with
renovation of the Marina Center building completed this
spring. Marina Center also has about 1,400 square feet
available for lease, zoned for commercial uses. The Port's new
address is 1000 East Port Marina Drive.
The
new location is adjacent to the Hood River-White Salmon
Interstate Bridge. Visitors will still enter the marina area,
but now take an access road to reach the new Port office
location.
The
former location includes just over 2,500 square feet of
commercially zoned space, and the Port is working to identify
a tenant that will help create jobs at the high-visibility
location. The Port is also considering options for the former
maintenance area located on the southwest corner of the
marina. |
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For additional
information, click
here... |
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Innovative Tolling
System |
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There's
more than meets the eye at the new Hood River Interstate
Bridge toll plaza. In early June, the visible work will be
completed, but many tasks must be completed before a new
feature - electronic tolls - are a reality, according to the
Port of Hood River.
The Port's automated toll system
will be the first of its kind in Oregon. The new system is
expected to double toll-processing capacity. Motorists who
establish secure accounts will be able to roll through the
toll plaza without stopping to pay the toll. Both features
should reduce traffic congestion.
A new four-traffic
lane grid is already in place, but the extra lanes will not
open until late June at the earliest and the automated toll
program's public launch is not scheduled until September
When automated tolls begin, motorists can set up a
secure account with the Port to deposit pre-paid tolls. For
those who do not wish to establish an account, traditional
tolls will still be accepted at the toll plaza.
The
four-lane toll plaza is expected to be open around the July 4
holiday. A test group of commuters have volunteered to use the
automated tolls through the end of August, when the system
will be evaluated before being offered to the general public.
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Calendar of Events |
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6/5/07-
Hood River Pub Talk at Horse and Hound Pub. Networking starts
at 6:30 p.m.
6/14/07- Oregon Investment Board meeting
at 10:00 a.m. For more information visit
http://www.mcedd.org/oib.htm
6/26/07-
Gorge Technology Alliance meeting at 6:30 p.m. at Port of Hood
River offices, featuring "Embarq.. not just a green Sprint."
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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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Subscribe/Unsubscribe |
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You
are welcome to pass along this newsletter to anyone who may be
interested in regional economic development news in the
Mid-Columbia area. To subscribe to the newsletter, please
provide your name and email address to amanda@mcedd.org. Past
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