MCEDD Recent News Items

GorgePass is for Gorge Kids!

September 1, 2021 – While kids under 12 need an adult with them to ride, teens and above can explore these various adventures below by bus – all reachable with the GOrge Pass: In The Dalles… Thompson Skate park: LINK Blue or Red Routes (Weekdays Only) – Request stop  North Wasco County Aquatic Center: LINK Blue or Red Routes (Weekdays Only) – Request stop Shannon’s Ice Cream Sorosis Park: LINK Blue Route (Weekdays Only) – Request stop Lewis & Clark Festival Park: LINK Blue or Red Routes (Weekdays Only) – Veterans Service Office Riverfront Trail: LINK Blue or Red Routes (Weekdays Only) – Veterans Service Office Chenowith Hill Trails: LINK Blue Route (Weekdays Only) – Request stop   Fort Dalles Museum & Anderson Homestead in The Dalles : LINK – Blue Route (Weekdays only) – Stop is on Trevitt & 15th one block west of Garrison National Neon Sign Museum in The Dalles • LINK Blue or Red Routes (Weekdays Only) – Request stop   To purchase gorgepasses online, visit our Go By GorgePass page. To find more fun GorgeKids Destinations in Goldendale, Bingen/White Salmon, Hood River, Cascade Locks and Stevenson, visit here!   [Continue Reading]

Big Buddha Yoga Studio Opens in Hood River

August 31, 2021 – Chelsey Moss found her way to yoga by way of a doctor’s recommendation after a breast cancer diagnosis in her early 30s.  Over time and through the right instruction she came to understand and love the practice.  She has now been in remission for nearly 10 years and credits her yoga practice in part for her healing. She continued to study yoga and eventually completed her 500-hour certification to teach.  Now, with the help of a loan from the Oregon Investment Board (OIB), a fund staffed by Mid-Columbia Economic Development Center, Moss has opened her own studio, Big Buddha Yoga, in downtown Hood River. Moss noted there were challenges to opening the studio during the COVID-19 pandemic, but she hopes the studio will help the community heal emotionally from the trauma of the pandemic and reinvest in their wellness. “I think that’s one thing that yoga really cultivates in people is just that inner connection and knowing your body, understanding your body and supporting your body,” Moss said in a recent story in the Columbia Gorge News.  The full story is here. Big Buddha Yoga is located at 201 Cascade Ave. in Hood River. It is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday.   [Continue Reading]

Gorge Pass is Your Ticket to Explore the Gorge!

August 27, 2021 – The four transit systems of the Gorge have joined forces and are excited to bring you unlimited, seamless, fixed route rides under one easy pass. The more folks who buy the GOrge Pass, the more routes and times we can add.  Help us build a vibrant, accessible transit system that supports all the things we love about the Gorge, such as using your GOrge Pass to attend the following September events… without the parking hassles! Gorge Artists Open Studios Tour, Gorge-wide | Sept 17 – 19 Show N’ Shine, Stevenson | Sept 5 Huckleberry Fest, Bingen | Sept 11 – 12 The Country Chic Sale, Stevenson | Sept 18 To find out more and purchase your pass, visit https://www.mcedd.org/transportation/go-by-gorge-pass-with-the-link-public-transit/   [Continue Reading]

Sherman County Approves Two New Housing Grant Programs!

July 29, 2021 – Sherman County Court has approved two new housing grant programs to incentivize housing development within the county. These programs add to the suite of existing incentive programs that are already offered by the County to address the critical need for more and improved housing. The first new program, the “Housing Property Preparation Grant,” addresses the problem of unsafe, blighted properties throughout the county while stimulating the housing construction market. It offers applicants up to $20,000 in grant funding to responsibly demolish unsafe housing units, clean up any environmental contaminants on the property and prepare the lots for either housing redevelopment or sale. The second program, the  “New Housing Construction Grant,” will provide $10,000 in grants for newly constructed housing units in Sherman County to fill in housing gaps. To qualify the units must be sold or occupied by the owner within 30 days of completing the project and cannot be used as a second home or short term rental. Sherman Co_Housing Property Preparation Grant  Sherman Co_New Housing Construction Grant   [Continue Reading]

New Small-Business Preparedness Resources

July 27, 2021 – MCEDD has developed additional preparedness resources to help small businesses owners learn more about how to be prepared for an economic shock. Putting plans in place now will help businesses be more resilient to unexpected changes in the economy and recover more quickly from any downturns. MCEDD is highlighting these resources, including new training videos and business profiles, over several newsletters. You can also find all of these materials at mcedd.org/ready.   [Continue Reading]

Cascade Locks Awarded $2.5 Million from CDBG

July 26, 2021 – Congratulations to the City of Cascade Locks for securing a $2.5 million grant from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program! The grant will be used to upgrade the City’s wastewater treatment facility, which is over 20 years old. This funding will partially finance the repair and/or replacement of old and deficient components, thereby ensuring that the system will continue to serve the community reliably and safely well into the future. The total upgrade project is estimated to cost around $5.6 million and has another piece of funding from the State of Oregon, through the State’s Clean Water Revolving Fund and Business Oregon’s Water/Wastewater program. The addition of the CDBG award will reduce the amount of loan funding the City will need.  MCEDD staff will support the City with grant administration and labor standards compliance for this project.   [Continue Reading]

Share Your Thoughts about The Link to be entered to win a prize!

July 2, 2021 – The Link Public Transit wants to hear from you! Tell us about how you use the Link and how we can improve our services. Fill out the survey at the link below and you’ll be entered into a raffle to win the new GOrge Pass – an annual card that gives you unlimited trips on transit routes throughout the Gorge, to Portland, Vancouver and beyond! Take the Survey   [Continue Reading]

Expanded Annual GOrge Pass offers unlimited travel on the Link Blue and Red Routes and around the Columbia Gorge

June 28, 2021 – The Link / Gorge Translink is happy to announce the expansion of the GOrge Pass, now offering an easy and affordable way to travel to and from Portland/Vancouver and around the Columbia Gorge on both sides of the river. Four Gorge transit providers have teamed up to offer unlimited, fixed route rides to riders with a GOrge Pass: The Link Public Transit (The Link) Blue and Red Routes Columbia Area Transit (CAT), including the Columbia Gorge Express and the Gorge-to-Mountain Express in winter Mt. Adams Transportation Service (MATS) Skamania County Transit The GOrge Pass provides local riders, commuters, tourists, adventurers, and everyone in between with an easy, affordable way to get from here to there. The GOrge Pass can be downloaded onto your smartphone via downloading the Token Transit app or purchased as a physical pass that fits in your wallet. You can buy online at the Link website or at our transit office. HOW THE GOrge PASS WORKS: PRICE: $30 Adults $15 Youth under 17 WHAT YOU GET: An annual pass connecting Portland/Vancouver and the Columbia Gorge. The GOrge Pass is good for the calendar year, ending on December 31. Unlimited fixed route rides on CAT (including the Columbia Gorge Express and the Gorge-to-Mountain Express), The Link, MATS, and Skamania County Transit buses. The GOrge Pass cannot be used for door to door service via our Dial-a-Ride. So relax and enjoy the scenery while we drive—and no driving or parking hassles! For complete information on this program, visit GOrgepass.com.   [Continue Reading]

Invictus Global Services

June 28, 2021 – Invictus Global Services provides personnel to support service contracts for aviation operations and maintenance services around the globe.  In order to maintain the highest quality service for their customers, Invictus’ pilots and operations staff require unique and highly specialized training.  With a working capital loan from Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, the company plans to fund the training and travel costs that are needed to support the growth of the business.  Invictus is a member-managed corporation with three founding partners: James Hays, Matt McLaughlin and Jon Grinter. Based in the city of White Salmon, Invictus is currently licensed to operate in both Oregon and Washington.  The team’s experience encompasses all facets of aviation operations, including Unmanned Aircraft Systems and ISR services.  In addition, the company has unique expertise operating in the complex regulatory environments that their service contracts require.  The in-depth understanding of mission requirements needed to successfully complete their customers’ contracts is the direct result of the partners’ previous experience as pilots and maintainers, as well as their experience leading and managing in both military and business organizations.      [Continue Reading]

CEDS May 26th Meeting – Industry Clusters

May 27, 2021 – The third installment of the comprehensive economic development strategy (CEDS) update process was held on Wednesday, May 26th. This meeting focused on industry clusters in the region’s five counties: Sherman, Hood River, and Wasco Counties in Oregon, and Klickitat and Skamania Counties in Washington. The meeting began with a presentation by Skamania Commission Chair, Tom Lannen, to give an overview of Skamania County, with a focus on economic trends, opportunities, and challenges. This was followed by a presentation from University of Oregon researchers, Bob Parker and Corum Ketchum, from the Institute for Policy, Research, and Engagement. They gave an overview of industry trends and an in-depth report of the top sectors in the Gorge. Following these presentations, attendees gathered in breakout groups to discuss their reactions to the presentation and share ideas to help the region grow and become more resilient in the future. Similar to previous meetings, participants expressed concern about the housing market and workforce development. A summary of these conversations, along with the guest presentations, can be found below. The data and thoughts shared by stakeholders across the five counties during this session will help to guide the priorities for the economic strategy update, which will support a prosperous economy and a more resilient region. We appreciate your participation in this process and look forward to seeing you at the June 30th CEDS meeting where we will assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing the region. If you would like to register for the upcoming sessions, please click here: https://forms.gle/GkYVrz8JQHb6Xf4U7 May 26th Presentations: Skamania Co_Commissioner Chair Tom Lannen Mid-Columbia Industry Analysis_IPRE   [Continue Reading]