The Gorge Business News

By Marguerite Cleveland Temira Amelia Lital is the architect behind “Temira’s Awesome Travel Advisory Service”. The service is a public Facebook page with almost 5000 followers that track her daily weather forecasts. They are dished up each day with a dose of humor and a photo which just seems to fit the mood of the…

By Marguerite Cleveland Since 1876 when Isadore St. Martin discovered the hot springs and shared them with his wife, Margaret who suffered severe pain from damaged nerves, people have flocked to bathe in the waters. The St. Martins developed the property with a hotel in 1901 followed by cabins and a bathhouse which are still…

By Marguerite Cleveland   The glass Salmon and Trout appear ready to leap into the Columbia River with their striking colors and dramatic shapes. The fish are a few of the many items created by artist Andy Nichols at his studio in The Dalles.   Founded by Nichols in 1998, Nichols Art Glass had humble…

Sunday, May 14, is Mother’s Day, and the traditional opening day for the Eagle Cap Excursion Train’s 2017 season. The Mother’s Day Brunch is always a popular trip, as passengers find it a good way to celebrate the holiday while enjoying the beautiful spring scenery along the Grande Ronde and Wallowa Rivers.   The Mother’s…

The Oregon House of Representatives approved HB 2910 A, legislation that seeks to make it easier for Oregonians in rural communities to access rural roadways with all-terrain vehicles in authorized areas. Under current law ATVs are not permitted on state highways, which can prevent Oregonians from accessing their own property if it is separated by…

Board acts to reimburse timber counties for timberland set aside for habitat   PACIFIC, SKAMANIA AND WAHKIAKUM COUNTIES TO RECEIVE $3.2 MILLION The state Board of Natural Resources today took action to reimburse three western Washington counties a total of $3.2 million for the transfer of 442 acres of state-owned forestland to conservation status.  …

The annual Charity Drive was conducted in Community Bank’s full-service branch locations during November, through December 20th. The program is an effort to collect donations in branches to benefit charities in that same area. The bank matches donations at $0.50 on each dollar, with a max match amount of $500 per branch location. This season…

Wintertime Campaign Benefits Homeless Shelters Across The Northwest   Tacoma, Wash. – Nov. 21, 2016 – Today Columbia Bank launches the annual Warm Hearts Winter Drive to benefit homeless shelters in communities across the Northwest. Now through December 31, 2016, Columbia Bank will be accepting cash donations and new winter wear attire as it aims…

Fishing, clamming and crabbing will be free in Oregon Nov. 25-26 Nov. 15, 2016 Lower Deschutes Steelhead Whether you’re after trout, salmon, steelhead (like this one from the lower Deschutes) or crab, you can fish for them for free on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 25-26.   SALEM — The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife…

(Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown today named Eloisa Miller as her Economic and Business Equity Manager. Miller will focus on addressing issues of equity and advancing priorities for Minority-owned, Woman-owned, Emerging Small Businesses, and Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (Certified Firms).   “Eloisa has a strong commitment to equity and ensuring that businesses have a…

Gov. Jay Inslee and the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) announced today a new state-federal partnership that will bolster state efforts to improve the physical and mental health of Washington families and transform the state’s Apple Health (Medicaid) program to control costs. After months of detailed negotiations, the HCA—in partnership with the Department of…

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture have announced this year’s recipients of Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funds, including $4.3 million for Washington state. The 2016 USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant will fund 21 projects managed by WSDA in partnership with other organizations. Washington ranks second in…

  Margie Harris receives the 2016 Champion of Energy Efficiency in Buildings Award from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy   PORTLAND, Ore. — August 24, 2016 — Margie Harris, founding executive director of Energy Trust of Oregon, received an award yesterday from the American Council for an EnergyEfficient Economy (ACEEE). She has been…

An artisan food trail, wayfinding signage and non-stop air service will now be available for visitors and locals, thanks in part to $560,000 of matching grant funding awarded by the Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon. Travel Oregon administers a competitive program that makes grant awards to eligible applicants for projects that contribute to the…

Hundreds of Washington workers will have opportunities for job-based apprenticeships, thanks to a new $2.7 million federal grant the state will receive over the next 18 months. Washington state and federal leaders announced today that the U.S. Department of Labor has chosen Washington as one of 37 grantees to help grow and diversify apprenticeships around…

Since the beginning of his Administration, President Obama has focused on creating an economy that works for every American. Under his leadership, our businesses have added 15.3 million jobs since early 2010, and the economy has seen the longest streak of job creation on record. However, more work needs to be done to make sure…

Oregon state government is launching a new effort to support deaf and hard of hearing Oregonians. Held quarterly, New American Sign Language (ASL) video workshops tap native-speaking ASL interpreters to convert agency messages into video instructions that improve access to online services for these traditionally underserved residents.   In recent years Oregon has increased accessibility…

Life Flight Network was recognized last week by Oregon Business as the best large nonprofit to work for in Oregon. For the seventh year in a row, Life Flight Network has been ranked in the top 15 best large nonprofit employers to work for in Oregon. This is the second time Life Flight Network has…

With winter holidays fast approaching and a time when many people are visiting the Oregon coast, it’s important to know tsunami safety. To that end, the Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM) offers “Tsunami Safe: Hospitality Begins with Safety,” a free program aimed at the hospitality industry along the Oregon coast. Hotel and motel staff,…

The Oregon Department of Agriculture and US Department of Agriculture have announced this year’s recipients of Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funds. In Oregon, nearly $1.7 million will fund 15 projects to help boost the competitiveness of the state’s fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, nursery crops, and other specialty crops.   “These funds go a long…

Governor Kate Brown today announced the appointment of Kay Erickson as the Director of the Oregon Employment Department, effective August 16, 2016, pending confirmation by the Oregon Senate. She served as the agency’s acting director since January.   “Kay’s considerable management experience helped her transition quickly and maintain stability at the Employment Department, and I…

Oregon’s unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in July, an increase from June’s rate of 4.8 percent. The rate has risen from a record low of 4.5 percent in the three months of March, April and May. Oregon’s labor force, which reached a record high of 2,058,000 in July, has grown rapidly in recent months as…

By Maegan Murray, WSU Tri-Cities   Smoke taint study equipment runs the length of a hoop house of wine grapes at the WSU Prosser research center near WSU Tri-Cities.   Wine grapes may appear fine after a harsh wildfire season. But if grapes have smoke taint, the finished wine may taste and smell awful –…

By Lori Kimbel   Rob Chimelak, board member of Athletes4Cancer and active volunteer at the Hood River Kiteboarding 4 Cancer event, was diagnosed with stage three testicular cancer in October of 2012, at the age of 29. It was then and there that he decided he was going to take on cancer and keep ‘kicking…

by Norbert Fensterwald Growing up in the 50s and 60s in NE Portland, there weren’t a whole lot of organized things to do or manufactured toys with which to play. We amused ourselves with ball in vacant lots, “Red-light, Green-Light” in the street at night, Army throughout most of the neighborhood’s back yards and got…

At 95, this war veteran plays golf, cracks jokes, and rebounds from a setback.   At 95, Alex Currie has no regrets.   “I had my day in the sun,” says the bright-eyed, chatty man who has lived in The Dalles since 1953 and made his mark as a businessman willing to take chances.  …

Funds will lower energy costs in public buildings and create an estimated 531 jobs   The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced over $10 million in energy efficiency and solar grants to help reduce energy costs at eight higher education institutions, 32 local governments, four state agencies, and eight K-12 public school districts. See…

by Marc Robins CFA Nothing confounds me more than the fact that our collective society (and government) is (are) more worried about “Climate Change”, “global warming”, or “Climate Disruption” that may occur some 25 to 50 years out in the future (and the operative word is “may”), while zoonotic viral diseases are killing mankind right…

The Oregon Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network has been awarded national accreditation without conditions by America’s SBDC, its national association. Blue Mountain Community College hosts the local SBDC for northeastern Oregon.   Every five years, SBDC networks throughout the country are required to go through an accreditation process with the Accreditation Committee of America’s…

Representative Greg Smith (R-Heppner) was honored this week with two prestigious recognitions. The first is from the Oregon Fairs Association (OFA), which supports Oregon’s 36 county fairs. ​Also honoring Rep. Smith was the Oregon Concrete and Aggregate Producers Association (OCAPA), an organization that is working to build Oregon’s economy and supports economic development.   “It…

QUEEN KYLIE WILLIS Queen Kylie will reign over the 106th Pendleton Round-Up. She is the 20 year old daughter of Craig and Candi Willis of Enterprise, Oregon. A graduate of Enterprise High School, Kylie is now a Dean’s List student at Lewis-Clark State College, Lewiston, Idaho where she studies business management. Queen Kylie represents a…