Reading this newsletter is a good thing, having your news included is even better. Just send us your economic development news, including activities, events and anything else of interest in the five county area by the third week of each month. Send it directly to Layne at: layne@mcced.org

THANK YOU!!

MCEDD Staff

Amanda Remington
Executive Director

Eric Nerdin
Loan Program Manager

Sherry Wickert
Finance/Operations

Link Shadley
Project Manager

Jessica Metta
Project Manager

Pat Hoffman
Administrative Assistant

Layne Sylvester
Assistant Project Manager

MCEDD Board Members

Barbara Briggs, Chairperson
Hood River County

Dr. Susan Wolff, Vice-Chairperson
Education Representative

Cliff Jett, Secretary/Treasurer
Cities of Sherman County

Paul Pearce
Skamania County

Dan Ericksen
Wasco County

Michael Smith
Sherman County

Rex Johnston
Klickitat County

Jan Brending
Cities of Klickitat County

Bill Dick
Cities of Wasco County

Don Stevens
Cities of Skamania County

Randy Holstrom
Cities of Hood River County

Chuck Daughtry
Oregon Ports

Rodger Ford
Washington Ports

Ray LaFond
Washington Chambers of Commerce

Tonya Brumley
Oregon Chambers of Commerce

Harold Haake
Utilities Representative

Ken Bailey
Agriculture

Vacant
Minority Representative

Nancy White
Technology Representetive

Dianne Storby
Healthcare Representative

Disclaimer

This newsletter is sponsored by MCEDD. The items contained herein are published as submitted and are provided for general information purposes only. This information is not advice. Readers should not rely solely on this information, but should make their own inquiries before making any decisions. MCEDD works to maintain up-to-date information from reliable sources; however, no responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions or results of any actions based upon this information. If you have any questions regarding any of these items, contact the organizational representative of that source.

This newsletter may contain links to websites that are created and maintained by other organizations. MCEDD does not necessarily endorse the views expressed on these websites, nor does it guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information presented there. Furthermore, visitors should be aware that other sites linked from this newsletter may use persistent cookies that track visitor viewing habits.

Welcome to the April edition of the
MCEDD newsletter.
Featuring highlighted regional activities that are of interest to the five counties we serve.

Loan Client Profile: Grass Valley Market New Mobile Deli/Concessions

Grass Valley Country Market is now ready to hit the road and bring its reputation for high quality freshly made food to the on-site concessions market. With financing from Mid-Columbia Economic Development District's RBEG-OR loan fund, Jim Short was able to purchase a concessions trailer and will be providing food, beverage and catering for all of the Oregon Raceway events. He also has the capacity now to serve area wind farms construction sites during the week.

With assistance from the Columbia Gorge Community College Small Business Development Center, Jim approached MCEDD with a well-developed business plan. Word is getting around that if you are spending the day at the Oregon Raceway Park, hunting or fishing with one of the local outfitters, sightseeing, or just traveling through Grass Valley, the Grass Valley Country Market is a great place to stop.

To learn more about Grass Valley Country Market, click on the photo above or go to www.grassvalleycountrymaket.com.

For more information on MCEDD's loan programs, visit the MCEDD website.

As a service to the regional business community and as a strong part of our economic development strategy for the region, MCEDD manages several business loan programs that provide an accessible, affordable source of capital for projects that create or retain jobs. These loan funds can be used to contribute to the financing needed by a business to purchase or build new facilities, purchase equipment, or provide working capital.

MCEDD Board Position Open

MCEDD is accepting applicants for a vacant board position. Applicants must represent a minority interest and private sector economic interest. Board member interest forms are available at http://www.mcedd.org and should be returned to MCEDD by May 1, 2009 for consideration.

All interest forms will be reviewed and provided to the MCEDD Executive Committee. Appointments are made by the executive committee and ratified by the board. Appointments are made for a one year period, which may be renewed. For more information, call 541-296-2266.

Invitation to Retirement Party

After many years of service to the citizens of Oregon, Link Shadley is retiring. Here is your opportunity to say thanks for his years of service! Link has served as a Project Manager for Mid-Columbia Economic Development District and we are passing on this special invitation to thank Link for his work in telecommunications, economic development, and community development.

DATE: Thursday, April 30

TIME: 4 to 6 p.m.

LOCATION: Columbia Gorge Community College,
Building 2, Third Floor, Lecture Hall
400 East Scenic Drive, The Dalles, Oregon 97058

	Columbia Gorge Bi-State Renewable Energy Zone at WindPower
The Columbia Gorge Bi-State Renewable Energy Zone (CGBREZ), formed by Skamania, Klickitat, Hood River, Wasco and Sherman counties will be hosting a tradeshow booth at the Windpower 2009 conference in Chicago May 4-7. The booth will promote the region to manufacturing and R&D companies. For more information, visit www.cgbrez.org.

Gorge Angel Conference- May 19th

Register now for the Gorge Angel Conference on May 19, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Hood River Inn. The Gorge Angel Conference is an education and networking event for entrepreneurs and investors. Finalist companies will present their pitch for a potential investment of $100,000. The keynote presentation "More Wit than Wallet - How Angels and Entrepreneurs Grow Companies Together" will be provided by Doug Fieldhouse, President and CEO, Vesta.

To register or for more information, visit: http://www.gorgeangelconference.com/

Small Business Administration Lenders Conference - May 22 in The Dalles

The SBA Lenders Conference will be held on Friday, May 22
at Columbia Gorge Community College, 400 East Scenic Drive, Building Two, Third Floor, Lecture Hall, The Dalles, Oregon. Participants will receive an update from the U.S. Small Business Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and Farm Credit Services, Oregon Economic and Community Development, Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, Oregon Investment Board and Mt. Hood Economic Alliance.

Lenders

Bankers and lenders are invited to attend the event from

8:00 to 10:15 a.m.

Businesses
The general business public is invited to attend the event from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

To attend this FREE event, please register by calling Melissa Davis at 503-326-2657 or emailing melissa.Davis@sba.gov

Lower John Day Conservation Working Group Update

The Lower John Day Conservation Workgroup completed a governance Memorandum of Understanding that is being circulated for signatures. All three County Courts (Sherman, Gilliam and Wheeler) were the first to sign.

A special thank you goes to Sue Knapp in the Oregon Governor's office for convening a group of federal, state and local agencies to address fire suppression/response concerns raised by Sherman County and others. Judge Gary Thompson, Link Shadley and Stephanie Hallock attended the first meeting of the group, and a second meeting was scheduled for April 7. The agencies listened to the concerns raised and are actively working on a plan, focused on state-owned rangeland (primarily ODFW and State Parks) where there is no clear plan or responsibility for fighting fires.

	Columbia Gorge Future Forum Wins Professional Achievement Award
The Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association selected the Columbia Gorge Future Forum as this year's recipient of the Professional Achievement in Planning Award. Congratulations to the Columbia Gorge Future Forum Working Group and the Columbia River Gorge Commission. For more information on the Future Forum, or to read the final report, visit www.gorgecommission.org/futureforum.cfm.

The Dalles Community Outreach Team

The Dalles Community Outreach Team just released information about the value of partnerships, prioritizing needs, and focusing on a community-wide approach to improving quality of life. Through the efforts of this team, the community has been able to secure $12,856,900 in federal funding since 2002.

The Outreach Team is a collaborative partnership between Wasco County, City of The Dalles, The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce, Mid-Columbia Council of Governments, Columbia Gorge Community College, Mid-Columbia Economic Development District, North Wasco County PUD, and Port of The Dalles.

Skamania Wind Feasibility Study

The Skamania County Economic Development Commission is contracting with two consultants to identify assumptions regarding anticipated scale of a potential wind farm project in Skamania County, covering both capital and operating characteristics - such as size (number of turbines/pads), investment, construction and operating employment, payroll, procurement/expenditures and tax assessed valuation. The consultants will evaluate anticipated direct and indirect/induced (or multiplier) effects of a proposed wind farm, evaluate typical direct tax receipts to state and local governments, and will complete a qualitative review of potential real estate impacts and non-impacts.

The final report will be based on readily available research conducted for similar wind farm projects in the Pacific NW. Both potentially positive and negative effects may be identified and described in primarily qualitative rather than qualitative terms. For more information, contact the Skamania EDC at (509) 427-5110.

	Mt Hood Economic Alliance
Hood River County is seeking one citizen representative residing within the boundaries of Hood River County to serve on the Mt Hood Economic Alliance Board. All applicants will be interviewed by the Hood River Board of Commissioners on May 18th. Deadline for applications is May 11, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Visit http://www.co.hood-river.or.us/ for information and to an download application.

Salmon Falls Park and Ride

The Skamania County Board of County Commissioners celebrated the official completion of the Salmon Falls Park and Ride facility with a ribbon cutting in April. The park and ride site is located at the west end of Cape Horn, at the intersection of State Highway 14 and Salmon Falls Road in western Skamania County. The Park and Ride provides a convenient location for car-pooling, transit connection, or stop over. Skamania County Transit makes six stops per day on weekdays. A restroom building and emergency call box are located at the facility. Transit information is available on the web site, www.skamaniacounty.org, or by calling 509-427-3990.

Congratulations to Mary Merrill and Rodger Nichols

Mary Merrill was recently named by the state Oregon's Small Business Administration as recipient of the Excellence and Innovation Award for Oregon. The Columbia Gorge Community College Small Business Development Center (www.cgcc.cc.or.us/sbdc) is one of 19 in the State of Oregon.

Congratulations also to Rodger Nichols, business reporter for The Dalles Chronicle. He was selected as Small Business Journalist of the Year for Oregon by the Small Business Administration.

Government Volunteer Opportunities in the Gorge

The Gorge Commission is providing a page on its website to post opportunities for volunteering for the local, regional and national government agencies throughout the Scenic Area. If you would like your government event posted, please send the details of your future volunteer opportunities or the url of your own volunteer website to Michele Dailey (dailey@gorgecommission.org). Be sure to include a contact for public inquiries. To view the website, click here.

Grant Highlights:

N. Wasco County PUD Development Grant Deadline
Northern Wasco County PUD is accepting economic development grant applications until 5 pm, May 7th. Applications are available at the N. Wasco County PUD office, 2345 River Rd, The Dalles, or downloaded from the PUD's website: http://www.nwasco.com.

USDA Rural Utilities Service Community Connect Grant
Over $13.4 million will be awarded to nonprofits, for-profit entities, public bodies, and tribes to finance the deployment of broadband transmission in areas that currently have NO broadband service at all. (Individuals are not eligible.) Grant awards will range from $50,000 to $1,000,000. Eligible projects must provide "community-oriented connectivity" in addition to providing broadband. The deadline for applications is June 19, 2009.

Additional information, including an application guide and information about past projects, is available online at:
http://www.usda.gov/rus/telecom/commconnect.htm

DEQ Grants Annoucement
The 2009 application period for Oregon DEQ solid waste planning, reduction, and household hazardous waste grants opens on Monday, June 2. Deadline for applications is postmarked by 5 pm on Friday, August 29, 2009. Any local government responsible for solid waste management is eligible to apply. Local governments may subcontract with individuals, private businesses, or nonprofit organizations to perform grant-funded projects. Commercial waste prevention and reuse projects will be given preference (focus points). Application materials are available from a DEQ regional solid waste technical assistance staff member, by calling Paula at 503-229-6832, toll-free in Oregon at 1-800-452-4011, or at http://www.deq.state.or.us/lq/sw/grants/index.htm.

By the Numbers - March 2009

Calendar of Events

April 2009 Events

April 28: Gorge Technology Alliance Meeting, 6:30 p.m., CenterPointe Bank in Hood River. For more information visit www.crgta.org.
April 29- MCEDD Budget Committee Meeting, noon, MCEDD 515 East Second St, The Dalles.
April 30 - Wasco County Economic Development Commission meeting, 10:00 a.m. Port of The Dalles. Contact Layne at 541-296-2266 for more information.
April 30 - Link Shadley Retirement Gathering, 4 to 6 p.m., CGCC, Building Two, Lecture Hall, The Dalles.

May 2009 Events

May 1: Deadline for returning MCEDD Board interest forms. Contact 541-296-2266 with any questions.
May 2-3: Gorge Artists Open Studio Tour. Visit www.gorgeartistopenstudios.com for tickets.
May 4-7: CGBREZ at WindPower 2009, Chicago. www.cgbrez.org.
May 14: Lower John Day Conservation Working Group. Contact Link Shadley at link@mcedd.org for additional information.
May 18: MCEDD Board Meeting, The Dalles.
May 19: Gorge Angel Conference, Hood River Inn www.gorgeangelconference.com.
May 20: Oregon Investment Board Meeting, 10:00 a.m., Port of Hood River. www.mcedd.org/oib.htm.
May 22: SBA Lender Training, Columbia Gorge Community College, 8 to 10:15 (lenders) and 10:30 to noon (businesses).

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.

You are welcome to pass along this newsletter to anyone who may be interested in regional economic development news in the Mid-Columbia area. Past editions of the newsletter are posted on the MCEDD website. To SUBSCRIBE to the newsletter, please send your name and email address to layne@mcedd.org.