MCEDD Recent News Items

MCEDD Wins Regional Innovation Hub Planning Grant

July 25, 2022 – The State of Oregon is in the process of implementing it’s 10-Year Innovation Plan.  The anticipated goals of the successful implementation of the State’s 10-year Innovation Plan include:   Good, high-paying jobs Improved quality of life Global competitiveness Economic Resilience Educational attainment Access and opportunity The Plan aims to orient the economy around better paying jobs with higher growth potential, help the state weather future economic challenges, and encourage participation among populations presently underserved in the innovation economy. As a component of this plan, Business Oregon has awarded 11 Regional Innovation Hub designations. Hubs will facilitate networking, serving to connect a network of service providers and their collaborators throughout the designated region in order to assist Oregon’s innovation-based companies in achieving growth. Hubs will partner and collaborate with a variety of innovation-related stakeholders in the region, especially including underserved entrepreneurs in their partnerships. MCEDD is excited and pleased to use this award to help address innovation-based entrepreneurial needs throughout the Mid-Columbia Region. The state funding will be used to encourage collaboration and community partnerships, create and expand existing innovation-based entrepreneurial services, and keep the Gorge moving forward toward a larger vision for our innovation ecosystem.   [Continue Reading]

Maupin’s Outdoor Store Opens in Summer 2022

July 21, 2022 – Maupin Outdoor Store, LLC brings the gear, equipment, and apparel that locals and visitors need to participate in the summer’s outdoor activities.  The second floor will be the studio of Living River Jewelry, where owner Holly Henderson will hand-craft sterling silver jewelry and offer silver-smithing classes.  This hybrid business will be the only one of its kind in the city of Maupin and will be a wonderful addition to its outdoor recreation economy. The Outdoor Store will offer: a diverse inventory of equipment, gear, tools, and apparel for those visiting to fish, raft, bike and camp. Online sales with options for local pickup or world-wide shipping. Extended hours and pick-up lockers for late arrivals.   Living River Jewelry will offer: Handmade silver, gold, and bronze jewelry with an outdoor theme. Occasional silversmithing workshops to bolster local art scene.   The business concept for the store has grown naturally out of Holly’s passion for customer service and her genuine love for helping people, traits that have been developed for over 20 years with Holly’s experience in retail and in jewelry manufacturing. MCEDD financing has assisted Henderson to realize her goals by funding the purchase of inventory, wages during the early months of the business, and working capital for the business.   [Continue Reading]

Economic Development in Maupin

June 30, 2022 – The City of Maupin is growing! The 2020 census counted 508 residents and growth has continued steadily, with the city expecting more new construction and housing development within the next decade, corresponding to an expected population growth of 30 to 120 people. Currently there are over 60 development-ready lots available within the city limits.  In early June, the Wasco County Economic Development Commission informally met with the City of Maupin and the North Central Regional Solutions team to tour some of the major economic development projects in the community. MaupinWorks, a co-working space that is currently under construction.  The group visited to learn more about the community partnerships around entrepreneurship support growing in Maupin. The Deschutes Rim Athletic Complex‘s new regulation track. The group toured the recently completed track.  Additional amenities are scheduled to be built this summer to support diverse events that will bring additional visitors to town.  Fundraising continues to bring this community-inspired project to completion.  The new Deschutes Rim Health Clinic building.  The tour concluded with a site visit to the new facility that is set to open later this summer. The new building will expand local healthcare capacity in the community significantly. MaupinWorks Deschutes Athletic Complex Deschutes Rim Health Center               For more information on Maupin- the community and current development projects, visit here.   [Continue Reading]

Hood River Valley Adult Center Receives Grant Funding for Kitchen Remodel

June 30, 2022 – Congratulations to Hood River County on their successful application to the Oregon Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program!  In June, the County was awarded $987,299 to fund kitchen renovations at the Hood River Valley Adult Center. The Adult Center’s Meals on Wheels program is the primary source of nutritious, daily meals for low-income seniors and homebound adults in Hood River County. The Center has been preparing meals for seniors for 30 years, both in-house and through Meals on Wheels deliveries. The Adult Center’s kitchen has reached the critical point where their kitchen must be updated: the equipment is old, the layout is inefficient, and the physical space itself is starting to fail. With production more than doubled during the pandemic, the kitchen has been pushed past its useful working capacity.  An updated, more efficient kitchen will help reduce food insecurity for hundreds of seniors and homebound community members every year. The County has worked with the Adult Center, Paul Lindberg of Hat Creek Consulting  and MCEDD staff to submit a complete grant application to the CDBG program. Dollars contributed towards the Center’s fundraising campaign to support renovation costs are matched by the CDBG grant funding that has been awarded to the County for this project.  The project is expected to start immediately, with initial focus on meeting funding requirements before moving into renovations. Hood River County will be utilizing MCEDD’s grant management services throughout the project to ensure that the funding requirements are met.   [Continue Reading]

Regional Broadband Speed Survey Begins in the Mid-Columbia Region

June 27, 2022 – Accessible, affordable, and reliable internet is an essential piece of infrastructure for residents, communities, and businesses.  To fulfill this goal, Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) has been working closely with the Wasco County Broadband Action Team to develop the Mid-Columbia Broadband Speed Survey. The Survey is now open and available for public participation for residents and businesses in Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman Counties in Oregon and Klickitat and Skamania Counties in Washington. Take the Survey Here Responses to our local regional survey and taking the Washington State Broadband Office Annual Speed Test or Faster Internet Oregon speed test shows what broadband service is available at your home or business. This information will help partners clearly identify gaps in high speed internet services, ensure funding decisions can be made based on accurate service information, and learn more about how our communities and businesses are using broadband today. “Ensuring we have accurate information on who has true broadband internet access today will better enable our local partners to access the significant state and federal funding becoming available over the next several years to help close the broadband gaps in our region,” says MCEDD Deputy Director of Economic Development Carrie Pipinich. Local and regional partners are coming together through broadband action teams made up of community organizations, local governments, elected officials, and internet service providers to better define gaps in broadband service and explore strategies to improve those services. “Much like rural electrification in the 1930s, we are today beginning a ‘rural broadbandification’ in the United States,” said Lee Weinstein, president of Q-Life. “We ask for everyone’s help in completing this easy speed test. We need to understand more about the service challenges in the five-county area so the Columbia Gorge area can be ready to pursue state and federal grant monies that are coming available. Please help us and complete the survey!” Currently, the Federal Communications Commission defines broadband internet as a minimum of 25Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds. However, the State of Washington has defined a goal of 150Mbps download and upload speeds available to all residents and businesses by 2028. Because of the significant impacts that quality, affordable broadband can have on access to education, health care, and the local economy, Q-Life Network (which serves The Dalles and Wasco County) has defined a similar goal for services in Wasco County in its most recent strategic plan. Please take the survey here: https://bit.ly/Speed-Survey If you have any questions regarding the Broadband Speed Survey, please contact Natasha Blaircobb at Natasha@mcedd.org.   [Continue Reading]

Broadband Speed Survey Open Now!

June 22, 2022 – Accessible, affordable, and reliable internet is an essential piece of infrastructure for our communities. Mid-Columbia Economic Development District is working with broadband partners to support the needs of businesses, residents, and communities in the bi-state region through the creation of a Broadband Speed Survey. Your response to this survey will provide information on the internet service needs in the region and help us: clearly identify gaps in high-speed Internet service ensure that funding decisions are based on accurate service information learn about how we are using broadband today Please complete the broadband survey at: https://bit.ly/Speed-Survey Questions? Please contact Natasha Blaircobb at Natasha@mcedd.org or 541-296-2266.   [Continue Reading]

The Link Adds New Services for the Summer!

June 7, 2022 –   The Link is expanding it’s services this summer to support family summer activities!   See the map and the schedule on the Link’s page here.       [Continue Reading]

June’s Entrepreneurship Pub Talk

June 3, 2022 – Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) is pleased to be hosting several Pub Talk-style events throughout the Gorge in 2022. With the support of a grant from Oregon Community Foundation, these events will bring together entrepreneurs and business owners to network, share and learn from each other.  Besides great networking and delicious appetizers, the events will highlight a small panel of businesses of different types and in different stages of development to share their experiences. Our second Pub Talk event will be held on Thursday, June 9, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Gorges Beer Co. on (390 Wa Na Pa, Cascade Locks).  MCEDD’s event partners for this talk are the Port of Cascade Locks , Skamania County Economic Development Council and the Small Business Development Center at CGCC. Our speakers will be: Hotel Stevenson  Landmass Wines   Gorges Beer The event is free to attend and all are welcome! Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) was established in 1969 by Klickitat, Skamania, Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman counties to benefit from better access to economic development loans and grants, pooled technical assistance, marketing,  administrative resources, and a regional approach to economic development efforts. Over the years, MCEDD’s membership has grown to include counties, cities, ports and chambers of commerce within the five-county region. It is governed by a twenty-one member Board representing its members and the key economic interests in the region. MCEDD promotes the creation of family-wage jobs, the diversification of the economic base, and the growth, development and retention of business and industry.   [Continue Reading]

New! Sign Up for Transit Text Alerts

June 2, 2022 – Do you ride public transit in the Gorge regularly? You can now sign up to receive text alerts to your phone about service notifications from The Link Public Transit, Columbia Area Transit, Mt. Adams Transportation, and Skamania County Transit. You can sign up for one, two or all of the providers to be notified directly about holiday closures, weather-induced service changes, or other important information impacting bus schedules. Sign up here for alerts to be sent directly to your phone. As always, msg & data rates may apply.   [Continue Reading]

The Link Public Transit Celebrates 25 Years of Service

May 10, 2022 –   On May 19th , 2022 The Link Public Transit celebrates its 25th anniversary! The public transportation service began in 1997 to serve medical rides in Wasco County. The Link was originally operated by the Mid-Columbia Council of Governments (MCCOG), moving from medical rides only to appointment-based dial-a-ride services and a shopping bus. In 2018, Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) took over operation of The Link, expanding its service to include both dial-a-ride services and deviated fixed routes in The Dalles, shopping shuttles, and intercity buses between South County communities and The Dalles. In 2021, The Link began operating a Hood River route with  partner agency Columbia Area Transit, and joined partnering agencies in sponsoring the annual GOrge Pass. To celebrate the 25th anniversary, The Link will be offering free rides all day on Thursday, May 19th! Catch our Blue, Red, and/or Hood River routes between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. The Link will have a booth and a decorated bus at the transit tourism celebration event at Evoke Winery on the evening of the 19th from 5-7pm in Hood River. https://www.mcedd.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/LinkBus-at-2022-Cherry-Fest.mp4   Executive Director Jessica Metta noted, “We are so proud of the ways The Link has grown its transit service offerings for our community. We couldn’t do it without our dedicated bus drivers and dispatchers who work hard to serve the people of Wasco County every day.” For more information please visit The LINK’s pages at https://mcedd.org/link                   or call The LINK at 541-296-7595.   [Continue Reading]