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New Fixed Route Public Transportation Option in The Dalles
April 24, 2019 – Starting April 29, The LINK Public Transportation is offering a new deviated fixed route serving key stops in The Dalles. Circling the city on a one-hour loop on Monday through Friday, 7am to 6pm, riders can get on stops at The Dalles Transit Center, near Goodwill to access the 6th street shopping area, Columbia Gorge Community College, Mid-Columbia Medical Center and the Veterans’ Service Office downtown. Similar to The LINK’s dial-a-ride service, which is still available for everyone, rides on the route are $1.50 each way. As an incentive to encourage the community to try out the new service, all rides on the deviated fixed route are free for the first two weeks of the service through May 10, 2019. The bus operates along a route with a regular schedule, but is called a “deviated” fixed route because it can also leave the route to accommodate requests for “off-route” drop-offs or pick-ups. The number of deviations per loop is limited and must be scheduled in advance by calling The LINK at 541-296-7595. Only deviations within 1/4 mile of the route are allowed. Time is built into the schedule to allow for deviations. This means the bus may get to the stops earlier than the scheduled time if there are no deviations, but the bus will not leave that stop until the time posted in the schedule. “This route was identified as a priority in the 2016 The Dalles Transportation System Plan,” said Charlotte Sallee, Transportation Operations Director. “Thanks to a grant from the Federal Transportation Administration and new Oregon state funding for public transportation, The LINK was able to launch this new service as another way to serve our community.” Earlier in April, The LINK announced a new option to pay for rides on LINK buses using a smartphone through the free Hopthru app. With mobile ticketing and a bus route, the LINK has more plans in the works that will better serve public transportation needs for everyone in Wasco County. Find the schedule and map for the deviated fixed route, information about the Hopthru app and more on The LINK’s pages at http://mcedd.org/linktransit or by calling The LINK at 541-296-7595. The LINK Public Transportation is operated by Mid-Columbia Economic Development District [Continue Reading]Sherman County Connects New Broadband with Gorge.net
April 23, 2019 – Over the last two years, Sherman County and its cities have come together to discuss broadband needs in its communities. After conducting surveys, community forums, and several planning meetings, the group identified partnership opportunities to develop a fiber-to-the-home network serving each of the cities in Sherman County and Biggs Junction. GorgeNet was selected to partner in providing that service during the summer of 2018 During the fall of 2018, the City of Moro was connected and this spring the Cities of Grass Valley, Wasco and Rufus will be connected. Speeds up to a gigabit will be available throughout. Carrie Pipinich, Mid-Columbia Economic Development District Project Manager, coordinated the planning process, supported the communities in efforts to identify a partner to improve service and worked with the partners to successfully apply for $200,000 of funding from the Regional Infrastructure Fund through Regional Solutions. Additional funding was provided by each City, Sherman County, and GorgeNet. Carrie works on broadband issues throughout the region and manages the Gorge Broadband Consortium. For more information on this and other new broadband developments, contact Carrie at 541-296-2266 or carrie@mcedd.org. [Continue Reading]Oregon Investment Board Allocates $80,000 for Expanded Pilot Loan Fund
April 21, 2019 – A program designed to support the financing needs of businesses in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is finding success. The Oregon Investment Board (OIB), staffed by Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, created the pilot loan program in 2018 to support the financial needs of small businesses with a streamlined application process, minimal documentation and insurance requirements, ingrained small business counseling, and performance incentives. With eight local businesses successfully accessing the fund since it started last year, the Board decided to increase resources in the pilot loan program to encourage additional applications. Jack Miller, Board chair for the OIB states that, in creating the fund the Board “identified a need for a flexible financing tool to support businesses in the Scenic Area and one which could be deployed following economic emergencies.” Initially seeding the fund with $250,000, Jack notes the board is focused on the success of the program to-date and the future of the program for more businesses. He states “With the success of the pilot program and businesses who have accessed the resource, we are pleased to ensure an additional pool of loan funds, setting aside an additional $80,000 to the program.” Given the streamlined application process, these additional funds are also available in emergency situations. Amanda Hoey, Mid-Columbia Economic Development District Executive Director noted that “many of the businesses who initially accessed the fund were suffering a combined period of economic stress from a difficult fire season following a long stretch of winter weather.” The pilot funds were ready to offer interim, short term gap financing. As the pilot program includes business counseling, the program is geared towards long-term success of local businesses as they grow and to support businesses through emergencies. Most often, businesses are accessing the small business counseling through resources at Columbia Gorge Community College’s Small Business Development Center. Overall, the OIB offers a wider range of financing tools for small businesses in the Oregon boundary of the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area in Wasco, Hood River and Multnomah counties. The OIB programs supplement traditional lending resources available through commercial banks and can provide funding when another lender is unable to work with a business client. More information on the pilot program and the application can be found at http://www.mcedd.org/financing/oregon-investment-board/apply/ In 1986, the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act established a bi-state, six-county region shared by the states of Oregon and Washington. In conjunction with this Act, Congress earmarked a small amount of funding for Oregon and Washington for the purpose of making economic development loans and grants. The Columbia River Gorge Oregon Investment Board (OIB) is responsible for the administration of the Oregon Economic Development Plan, within Multnomah, Hood River, and Wasco, the Oregon counties lying in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The Columbia River Gorge Commission certifies projects. Mid-Columbia Economic Development District provides administration for the program. [Continue Reading]
100% recycled paper paint palettes company opens in Goldendale
April 20, 2019 – Toss Products LLC, a woman owned company, has developed Paint Plates™—100% recycled paper palettes designed to help artists, teachers, and paint party organizers save time on clean up and contribute to a cleaner planet by safely disposing of unused paint. Felicia Gray, a lifelong commercial artist and teacher, had the idea for the business product. From decades of cleaning up after student painters and washing leftover paint from plastic palettes, she knew those plastic palettes would eventually end up in a landfill and take up to a thousand years to degrade into smaller bits of plastic, potentially harming birds and animals. She states, “I couldn’t stand the fact that I was polluting the water with paint and adding to the plastic mess our planet is in, so I had to do something about it.” She went to work and created a prototype palette made of 100% recycled paper pulp that was water resistant and safely disposable. Her next step was to get the product to market and she knew she would need help. Felicia and her husband, Scott, a high school art teacher and potter, formed Toss Products LLC in early 2018. A few months later, the Grays were joined by Nicole Lundin and her husband, Rick. Nicole and Rick have decades of experience as entrepreneurs in product development, the patent process, national distribution, marketing and sales. After months of planning and filing patents in the US, Canada and the European Union, the company was ready to move forward to marketing the product nationwide and approached the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District (MCEDD) for financing to bring Paint Plates to market. “We’re all pretty upbeat. We laugh a lot even at our early morning meetings, and between all four of us, we’ve got the skill sets to make this company a success,” said Nicole. “MCEDD and the Small Business Development Center in The Dalles have been great to work with,” she said. MCEDD funded Toss Products LLC in early April of 2019. Paint Plates are now available at www.paintplates.com, Amazon, Yakima Bindery in Yakima, WA, and the General Store in Goldendale, WA. The company welcomes wholesale inquiries. Contact sales@tossproducts.com, or call 509.314.3040 Ext. 2 for more information. The MCEDD Loan Program is available to entrepreneurs, start-up businesses and existing businesses doing business in the five county (Sherman, Hood River, Wasco, Klickitat and Skamania) Mid-Columbia area. This loan program is part of MCEDD’s efforts to strengthen and support the region’s economy. For more information on MCEDD’s Loan Program, visit www.mcedd.org. [Continue Reading]
Goldendale Observatory Receives Innovative Tourism Funding
April 15, 2019 – The Port of Seattle’s innovative tourism marketing support program is providing direct benefits to the City of Goldendale and Goldendale Observatory State Park. A recently awarded $10,000 contract to the Goldendale Chamber of Commerce by the Port will be used to support astronomy and science tourism awareness of the area’s unique facilities. The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission has a $5.4 million renovation under way at the Goldendale Observatory, the nation’s only publicly accessible observatory in a park. The telescope has been upgraded, and the current project includes a 140-seat auditorium, systems to support the building and a major parking expansion, anticipated for completion in the Fall. Planned coordination with Maryhill Museum, the Nobel Prize winning LIGO research center, and Hanford’s B Reactor will create an unmatched astronomy, science, and eco-tourism opportunity. [Continue Reading]Regional Priorities Updated
April 6, 2019 – In March 2019 the MCEDD Board of Directors analyzed and adopted regional priorities for infrastructure needed throughout the five county region. Priorities were adopted as follows: WashingtonRankProject1Goldendale Pumped Storage Hydro2Stevenson Wastewater System3North Bonneville Substation4Buck Creek Water System5Broadband- Klickitat and Skamania6Columbia Gorge Regional Airport Business Park7 Cascades Business Park (North Bonneville) 8Dallesport Industrial Park Improvement Projects9 Bingen Point Industrial Park Projects 10City of North Bonneville Lift Station Oregon RankProject1Hood River Interstate Bridge2Workforce Housing Projects3Treatment of Wastewater4Broadband: Cascadia East Interconnection and Sherman Fiber5Dog River Pipeline Upgrade6Cascade Locks Substation7Biggs Water System8 Bridge of the Gods Maintenance and Pedestrian/Bicycle Improvements 9Undergrounding Utilities (The Dalles)10Backup Power/Emergency Generator Purchase and Integration for Primary Municipal Well For more information on the projects visit: https://www.mcedd.org/strategy/priorities/ [Continue Reading]Public Transit Made Easy with HopThru
April 5, 2019 – The Link Public Transportation network operated by Mid-Columbia Economic Development District has joined Mount Adams Transportation and Columbia Area Transit in offering HopThru as a convenient way to pay for rides using a smartphone. The new option is available through the Hopthru app, which is free and easy to set up. This feature gives riders the option to purchase LINK tickets anytime, anywhere. While riders can still use paper tickets and cash, HopThru provides another convenient option. “We are excited to offer this new service to make it easier for riders to use the LINK,” said Charlotte Sallee, Transportation Operations Director. “Now riders can just buy a ticket on their phones using the Hopthru app and get on board.” Riders can get started in three easy steps: 1. Download the free Hopthru app from Google Play or the App Store. 2. Select your ticket type (One Ride Ticket or Ten Ride Tickets) and then enter payment information. Riders can buy as many tickets as they would like and use them at their leisure. 3. When you are about to board a LINK bus, activate the Ticket and show the screen to the bus driver. Tickets are valid for 20 minutes after activation. The LINK selected Hopthru for this new mobile ticketing option to better coordinate with adjacent transit providers Columbia Area Transit (CAT) in Hood River County and Mount Adams Transportation Services (MATS) in Klickitat County. “As riders transfer from CAT and MATS buses to the LINK, using Hopthru for ticketing with all of the transit providers will be a big help,” adds Charlotte Sallee. The LINK provides door-to-door public transportation in The Dalles, Mosier, Dufur, Celilo and points between. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 7am to 6pm. Service is open to everyone for all purposes and rides are $1.50 each way. Call the LINK at 541-296-7595 to schedule rides, with at least one day notice for best availability. Additionally, the LINK is busy putting the final touches on a new deviated fixed-route bus that will soon begin an hourly loop around The Dalles with stops at The Dalles Transit Center, 6th street shopping, Columbia Gorge Community College, Mid-Columbia Medical Center and downtown. Schedules and a route map will be announced soon. The LINK Public Transportation is operated by Mid-Columbia Economic Development District. Learn more about the LINK at http://mcedd.org/linktransit or call 541-296-7595 [Continue Reading]
Valentine’s Day Love of Pets: Dog River Pet Supplies Opens in Hood River
March 26, 2019 – Dog River Pet Supplies, a local independent store, opened its doors on Valentine’s Day 2019, with the intention to bring raw and natural pet foods, holistic remedies and expert nutrition advice to Hood River pets and their owners. Molly Lewis and Sean Kelly, owners of the store, were able to open the doors with the help of a loan through the Columbia River Gorge Oregon Investment Board (a fund staffed by Mid-Columbia Economic Development District). The couple created a warm and welcoming space through a great deal of hard work, including lovingly refinishing the beautiful 1902 fir floors in the building. Pet owners can sip a cup of tea while learning helpful information about natural nutrition for dogs and cats, herbal remedies for common ailments, training tips and techniques, or suggestions for the most durable toys for determined chewers. Molly and Sean open Dog River Pet SuppliesDog River Pet Supplies stocked shelves1118 12th Street, Hood RiverDog friends are welcome!Enjoy a cup of tea at Dog River Molly’s knowledge of nutrition and natural medicine is derived from 10 years in the pet health industry, both in natural pet supplies and in holistic veterinary services. She has studiously absorbed valuable information from her mentors and she has taken seminars and attended conferences focused on natural medicine, raw feeding, and animal psychology. She believes there are a few very simple things you can do to ensure that your pet stays free of disease and lives joyfully, without pain or suffering, for many many long beautiful years. Sean adds a calming presence to the store atmosphere, with his genial demeanor and his background in non-violence and martial arts. He too has worked in the pet supply industry, and has solid knowledge about natural foods, whole food supplements, and all of those yummy aforementioned treats. He’s also the guy behind the special orders, so if there is something you are looking for but don’t see, ask Sean! He’ll probably say, “We can get that for you by Wednesday next week!” Dog River Pet Supplies focuses on a “customer first” philosophy that offers quality pet foods and supplies, researched personal advice, loyalty programs, and easy returns. You can find Dog River Pet Supplies on Instagram @dogriverpetsupplies, or on Facebook, but better yet, stop by the store for tea and a pleasant conversation. Located at: 1118 12th Street, across the street from Pine Street Bakery, on The Heights in Hood River. Phone number: (541) 490-0646. Hours: Monday – Saturday 10 am to 6 pm; Sunday: 10 am to 4 pm. The MCEDD Loan Program is available to entrepreneurs, start-up businesses and existing businesses doing business in the five county (Sherman, Hood River, Wasco, Klickitat and Skamania) Mid-Columbia Area. This loan program is part of MCEDD’s efforts to strengthen and support the region’s economy. [Continue Reading]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]