MCEDD Recent News Items

Food and Beverage Study Emphasizes Importance of the Industry

March 15, 2019 – A recent study completed for Columbia Gorge Community College focuses on opportunities for workforce training. Funded in part by the Columbia River Gorge Oregon Investment Board and US Economic Development Administration. Read the report here.   [Continue Reading]

Maupin, Oregon Completes Gigabit Broadband Network, Bridging the Digital Divide

March 12, 2019 – “With the completion of a $2 million high-density fiber optic broadband network, the rural community of Maupin, Ore., is now among the state’s most competitive when it comes to internet access. The network can provide speeds of 1 gigabit per second (gbps) per customer — the fastest broadband service available in the Pacific Northwest – vastly improving the city’s economic and educational opportunities.” Read more. As a primary segment of Mid-Columbia Economic Development District’s regional economic development strategy, we are pleased to contribute to enhancements to rural broadband.   [Continue Reading]

Celebrate OnSite Supply House’s Grand Opening!

February 23, 2019 – During the summer of 2018, Felipe (Flip) Mendez realized his dream of becoming a business owner in the industry he is very experienced in and passionate about, when he opened OnSite Supply House. Flip opened the doors of his business located at 1260 Tucker Road, Hood River, Oregon in July 2018 and obtained a loan from Mid-Columbia Economic Development District in August 2018. The loan provided funds to complete the start-up of his business.  Onsite Supply House provides irrigation, plumbing, erosion control, construction and landscape supplies, as well as provides consulting to contractors, farmers and the general public. Flip has over 15 years of experience in the industry. Flip enjoys helping the community the best way he can. Onsite Supply House will be having a grand opening party on March 30, 2019.  You can contact Flip at his business location or by calling 541-645-4123. Learn more about the MCEDD loan program here.   [Continue Reading]

The Riv: Financing Helps Couple Return Home

January 29, 2019 – After spending a few years in San Francisco, Noah Blakely found a pathway back to his hometown and business ownership. He and his wife, Lauren Blakely, own and operate The Riv Cafe in The Dalles, Oregon. With support from a small business loan through Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD), Noah and Lauren were able to purchase the business in 2017. The Riv is located in a historic building that was once a church. Lauren and Noah are actively managing the business every day to ensure the quality that they strive to maintain.  Noah states: “My heart for The Dalles is what drives our little cafe.  I graduated high school here and have always thought that it is the best city in the world.” He notes that “We called it The Riv because we wanted connect the identity of this city to the face of our business.” Check out the Riv at https://www.therivcafeevents.com/. The business is located at 401 East 10th Street, The Dalles, Oregon. With breakfast and lunch menus full of dishes using locally sourced ingredients, Noah and Lauren invite you to “Come for the Food; Stay for the Coffee.”   [Continue Reading]

Freight Parking Review: Hood River Waterfront

January 25, 2019 – Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, under contract with the Port of Hood River, conducted a preliminary freight parking analysis for the Hood River waterfront. The report was presented at the January Port of Hood River Commission meeting. Access the report summary here. The Port of Hood River requested the study to inform future decisions related to use of its properties. The parking study indicated that dedicated parking for commercial trucks and trailers is important for companies bringing goods to the region and is increasingly hard to find. In addition, if parking were limited or no longer available, delivery costs to businesses would likely increase, meaning a decrease to local business profit margins or increases in the costs of goods sold by those businesses. 34,35,283,272.665039   [Continue Reading]

Workforce Training Funds for Oregon Businesses

January 17, 2019 – East Cascades Works is seeking responses from employers in Hood River, Wasco and Sherman counties in Oregon with workforce training needs. Grants of $5K to $25K with a 1:1 employer match. Details are available here.   [Continue Reading]

Loan Fund Supports Private Practice in Hood River

December 19, 2018 – After graduating from Pacific University with a PhD in clinical psychology, Dr. Lauren Justice set her eyes on beginning her long-time dream of opening a private practice in Hood River. With the help of a loan through the Columbia River Gorge Oregon Investment Board (a fund staffed by MCEDD) for this start-up, Dr. Justice was able to open her doors to individuals and couples in October 2018. As a Psychologist Resident, Dr. Justice is currently working toward her independent licensure under the supervision of Dr. Mark Burton, a clinical psychologist in the Portland, OR area with over 25 years of experience. Over the course of her training, she gained experience that has equipped her to work with a wide range of client needs.  Dr. Justice has previously worked as a clinical supervisor, behavioral health coordinator, yoga therapist, and counselor in primary care settings, non-profit community mental health clinics, integrative medicine clinics, and university counseling. She now brings that range of experience to the individuals and couples that walk through her door at her office on 501 Portway Avenue in Hood River, OR. Dr. Justice strives to help her clients resolve problems in their mind, body, relationships, and lifestyle. She will work with individuals to improve their understanding of the source of their distress and refocus on what they value most. Depending on a client’s preference, therapy with Dr. Justice may draw from traditional treatment approaches or it may utilize yoga therapy and mindfulness techniques. Dr. Justice enjoys guiding individuals and couples interested in finding the best way to overcome difficult relationship patterns, health-related problems, anxiety, depression, and trauma. Her mind-body approach, along with her background as a published yoga researcher and behavioral health specialist, can help clients get back on track toward improved health and wellness. In addition to her practice, Dr. Justice stays active as a certified yoga instructor and researcher.  She has published, presented, and continues to conduct research promoting the use of yoga as a mental health practice. Her research has been published in the International Journal of Yoga Therapy and Advances in Mind-Body Medicine, as well as other journals addressing yoga practice, physical therapy and alternative medicine. She has also presented on these topics at professional conferences for the American Public Health Association and the International Association of Yoga Therapist’s annual Symposium on Yoga Research. Dr. Justice currently teaches yoga classes that explore yoga philosophy and mental wellness at Trinity Natural Medicine in Hood River. When Dr. Justice is not focusing on her professional passions, she can be found on Northwest trails with her husband and their dog, Rhubarb. As a native Oregonian, She feels fortunate to make a home and grow her business in an area and community that helped to shape her. Dr. Justice’s professional office is located at  501 Portway Avenue, Hood River, OR.  More information about Lauren Justice, PhD is available on her website at www.laurenjusticephd.com.   [Continue Reading]

US Department of Energy awards Goldendale Pump Storage Project Technical Assistance Award

December 17, 2018 – The U.S. Department of Energy announced the Goldendale pump storage hydro-power (PSH) project as one of only two pump storage projects awarded a Notice of Opportunity for Technical Assistance (NOTA) to perform a techno-economic study on the project.   [Continue Reading]

Regional Projects Make Headway

December 7, 2018 – White Salmon Aquifer: Permitting is nearly complete to allow White Salmon’s Aquifer Storage and Recovery Program to begin.  City officials are hoping for water quality permits from the Washington Department of Ecology to be issued in time for operations to start in the first quarter of 2019. Read more from Gorge Radio here. Port of Hood River Lot 1: The Port of Hood River Commission got a sneak preview of a draft report on an infrastructure framework plan for Lot 1 on the Waterfront. Read more from Gorge Radio here.   [Continue Reading]

USDA Funds Water Infrastructure for Mosier, Oregon

December 6, 2018 – Mosier, Oregon will receive $1.4 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA-RD) to help improve its water system. USDA-RD Oregon State Director John Huffman made the announcement: “It can be a struggle for any city to finance a large infrastructure project, but it is especially challenging for very small towns like Mosier,” said Huffman. “These water system improvements will ensure this rural community has access to a safe, reliable source of drinking water for decades to come.” USDA notes that “Mosier currently depends upon a single well to provide water to 269 households; 4 small businesses; a sewage treatment plant; and a school with 228 students and 28 staff members. Additionally, the community is planning to build a combined fire station, city hall, and community center, which will also be connected to the municipal water system. However, the town’s water infrastructure does not have the capacity to meet increasing demand and lacks a backup water supply and systems. With the help of a $763,000 loan and a $659,418 grant from USDA’s Water and Waste Disposal Program, Mosier will drill a new well that will serve as a backup water source. Additionally, the town will install a new telemetry system to improve system efficiency and build a new pump station to provide backup power and redundant pumps. The new station will also expand the system’s capacity, ensuring sufficient utilities are provided to both the existing customers and anticipated new residents. Overall, this project will provide a sustainable groundwater supply, backup systems, and expanded capacity to ensure the 455 residents of this growing community continue to have access to the drinking water they need.”   [Continue Reading]