The Gorge Business News May/June 2016

Special Travel Oregon Issue

THE GORGE BUSINESS NEWS Business, Ar t, Culture, Outdoors, Travel & Enter tainment

Connecting Communities Throughout the Columbia River Gorge Serving Oregon and Washington

Volume 2 - Issue 3 free

free

MAY/JUNE2016

Tourism Spending In Oregon Surges For Sixth Consecutive Year estimates, found:

Visitors to Oregon generat Travel and tourism industry grows to $10.8 billion, fuels economic activity statewide ed $10.8 billion in revenue for the state in 2015. This is a 6.6% percent with travel-related spending and employment increase in spending in real dollars over 2014 and marked the sixth consecutive year of growth. he Oregon Tourism Commission,

Last year 27.7 million overdba Travel Oregon, confirms that 2015 was night visitors traveled to Oregon the travel industry’s sixth consecutive year destinations, increasing hotel room of accelerated growth and economic impact, demand across all of Oregon’s tourreaching new heights in revenues for the state. ism regions by 4.8 percent.

Independent findings by Dean Runyan As Domestic visitor air arrivals sociates indicate that travel-related spending to Oregon grew 8.9 percent for the increased by nearly $500 million last year to year. achieve a record $10.8 billion in revenues.

Travel-generated employ “The travel and tourism industry conment increased 4.1 percent over tinues to drive economic development in the the prior year, resulting in 105,500 state of Oregon and is helping to build strong travel industry jobs across the state. and sustainable local economies,” said Todd

Re-spending of travel-generated reveDavidson, CEO of Travel Oregon. “Travel-re- nues by businesses and employees generates lated spending, employment and earnings additional impacts. In 2015, these secondary are increasing across the state, spurring job impacts were equivalent to 54,800 jobs with growth in our cities as well as our suburban earnings of $2.4 billion. and rural communities.”

The gross domestic product of the trav The report, which provides detailed el industry was $4.3 billion in 2015. Overall, statewide, regional and county travel impact the travel industry is one of the three largest

T

export-oriented industries in rural Oregon counties.

Findings reported by Dean Runyan Associates demonstrate the economic significance of the travel industry in Oregon. To read the report in its entirety, including specific regional and county breakouts, go to Industry.

TravelOregon.com/EconomicImpact.

Oregon Maverick - Lars Larson on the Air Across the PNW

L

By Lori Kimbel

ars Larson is well known around the Pacific Northwest; some people hang on his every word, others are known to disagree with him adamantly, this is what makes his local talk show the most listened to radio talk show in the northwest. He does not hide from controversy and seems to thrive on those who disagree with him.

“You have to have the courage to go toward a purpose, not just walk around being a jackass,” said Larson. “Once you decide you have a particular set of values it is easy to have a strong opinion.”

At just 16 years old, Lars Larson found his calling at the Mighty 1590 KTIL radio station in Tillamook; radio has been a part of almost his entire adult life. He currently works at FM News 101 KXL from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. through Alpha Media’s Radio Northwest Network. His local show airs on 19 stations in the Pacific Northwest. He has also hosted the National Lars Larson

Show since 2003, which is syndicated by Compass Media Networks to more than 100 stations.

His tag line is ‘honestly provocative talk radio’.

He doesn’t hold back, is not known for his shyness, and always allows ‘nay sayers’ to go to the front of the line.

He touches on subjects others would rather avoid in a day-to-day conversation, such as racism, government corruptness and cover-ups as well as the subject of transgender restrooms. No topic is off limits. For a sample of a typical day be sure to visit his website at Larslarson.com where podcasts of previous shows can be listened to.

One of the hot topics that he likes to touch on during his talk show is the divide between urban Oregon, and rural Oregon.

“The numbers are in favor of the urban areas and the urban areas have no reason to attempt to understand what is going on in rural Oregon,” said Larson.

“You could understand it, but I don’t think there is any incentive for people in the cities who are in positions of

Lars Larson Continued on Page 3

The Gorge Business News

My View

a walk and learn about the people of the area you are visiting. I thought it was great advice. always in some I plan to take my walk on the Camino de sort of whirlwind Santiago, which is in Spain, and I could not be it seems, but that’s more excited about it. okay, it keeps me

While I am on my walk I am going to busy doing so many be sure to document my journey on the new of the things I love. fabulous travel site that recently went live

I hope you find online.....jrrny.com. Be sure to read all about this issue entertainWashington Maverick John Kueber and what ing and informative. I know I have enjoyed prompted him to create jrrny. I had a great putting it all together. visit with him and I am excited to see where

Back in April I visited Angela Rogers jrrny takes him.....and me! with Cedar Creek Alpacas. What a fun day that Another great visit I had lately was was, wandering around inside the alpaca pen with Lars Larson. We don’t always see eye to and getting to see first hand how wonderful eye on all of the issues, but I really enjoyed their fleece is. The rain and mud were an easy the time spent with him in his Portland studio. price to pay for the experience that is for sure.

Thank you so much for reading my

I also attended the Oregon Governor’s publication, and thank you to those who let me Conference on Tourism held at the Wildhorse walk into your world for a moment, or two, as Resort in Pendleton. It was a great conferI try to sum up your life in 500 words or less. ence, lots of energy, and I met so awesome I am truly honored by the friends I meet along new friends. If you ever get a chance to go to the way and hope I can tell your stories for the this conference...go! Travel Oregon puts on a rest of my life. great event. My very favorite TV personality, Until next Samantha Brown of the Travel Channel, was time.....Carpe diem the keynote speaker. Her advice to all of us (Seize the Day) who have been bitten by the travel bug was to Lori ‘take a walk’, especially while traveling. Get

out and see what makes a place special. Take

My life is

Hunt of a Lifetime Eastern Oregon Fundraiser

All Proceeds Benefit Local Program

June 25, 2016 Location: Lefty’s Taphouse 1934 Broadway St. Baker City, OR

June 25, 2016 social hour: 5:30 pm | dinner: 6:30 pm | location: lefty’s taphouse performing: johnny & the law breakers live auction starts at 6:30 pm | over $25,000 in Auction items

S P ONS ORS Ag Insurance

Daniel Ferree & Tanna Jayo

Philipi Ranches

Allied Mortgage

Danny Benson Taxidermy

Premier Auto Body

Aspen Digital Services

Deadwood Outfitters

ROCCOS Family Network

Baker City Bull and Bronc Riding

Elkhorn Chiropractic

Baker City Plumbing

Elkhorn Embroidery

Rodney & Lori Wirth/ Mel Sorensen

Baker County Custom meats

Elkhorn Media Group

Ron Ross

Baker Sanitary Service

Gerber Knives

Roper/Stetson/ Tin Haul

Baker Truck Corral

Garners Sporting Goods

Rowena & Leland Royal

Baker Valley Pool & Shuffleboard

Hills Family Dentistry

Royal Taxidermy

Banner Bank

Hudson Printing

Scott Gregory "Big River Guide Service"

Beef Northwest

J Tabor Jewelers

Best Western Sunridge Inn

Janssens Adventure Outfitters

Big Creek Builders, Inc. Brady Hill Carpet & Vinyl Brinton Firearms Britt Sand & Gravel C &H Pumps and Motors, LLC Cascade Natural Gas Cerakote by Sur-Tac Gear Charlie's Ice Cream Parlor Cinch Outdoor Apparel CJ's Country Store/Anipro

Social Hour 5:30 p.m.

Dinner 6:30 p.m. - $25 Auction is free of charge & open to the public

Entertainment: Johnny and the Law Breakers www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

Come along on my travels with me by following me on Instagram @lorikimbel, on jrrny at jrrny.com/ramblingwanderer, and check out my blog at RamblingWanderer.com

Columbia Basin Helicopters Coral & Wyatt Widman Crop Production Services Damschen Interiors Dan McCarty

Settlers Park Sig Sauer

Jaca Construction

Sorbenots Coffee

James Tyler Foundation

Step Forward

Jason & Rosi Williams

Sunfire Real Estate

Just Cuz Contracting

Swarovski Optik

Justin Dunlap

Telocasat Wind Power

K & C Honey

The Bow Shop

Leupold

The Windshield Doctor

Lew Brothers Marvin Wood Products

Threemile Canyon Farms Tim & Kelly Nork

McGinn Brothers Trucking

Ty Bennett Roofing

Morris Angus Ranch

Vortex Optics

Mountain View Elk Ranch

Wade Rollins

Nathan Hull

Weatherby

Payton Family - In Memory of Bill Payton

Domain Names | Websites | Graphic Design | Databases | Printing

Wilde Ranch

z

D I G I T A L

Eastern Oregon Fundraiser | Poster Design Donated by Kevin Bradford of Aspen Digital Services in Baker City

Page 2

Business

The Gorge Business News

Oregon Maverick - Lars Larson on the Air Across the PNW Lars Larson Continued from Page 1

government to give a damn about what goes on in the rural areas of the state. They don’t see it as their constituency, and so they think they don’t have to care about it, so the result is, since they outnumber the rural side of the state, the rural side does not get represented.”

“There is a solution, and I can apply this to the forest at the very least, and I have proposed this for a long time. It is to have a timber dividend, to do kind of what Alaska has done, and that is when there is oil taken out of the ground in Alaska, some of the money flows into what I think is called the Alaska Permanent Fund, and that permanent fund pays a divided to every Alaska resident. At times it’s been as high as $1000 per person so a family of 4 gets a check once a year for $4000 from the permanent fund. Oregon could have same kind of dividend idea, so that every year, every person in Oregon, that was considered a permanent resident, would get a check. Now let’s say one year the check is $500 and the next year the check is $300 and you say ‘how come my permanent divided went down because I was used to getting it’ and they say ‘it’s because the politicians in Salem decided to reduce the timber that was cut’. That would have an effect on the point of view of somebody living in a city as much as it does to somebody living in the rural areas, they would say ‘hold on, why did they decided to cut back on the number of trees’ and they would say, ‘oh, because the tree huggers don’t believe in cutting trees’. I think the reaction would be ‘well hold on a second, are there plenty of trees? Could we cut at this rate forever?’ ‘Yes!’ ‘Why don’t we cut more trees so my dividend check can go back to $500 next year or to $1000’. So you can imagine some urban legislature that goes to a town hall meeting and half the people stand up and say ‘hey, how come our dividend checks are down?’ And the urbanite is used to only thinking of the problems of cities says, ‘Well I voted against the timber harvest plan because I think cutting trees is wrong, trees are beautiful.’ To which some people, sensible people, would say, ‘trees are beautiful, but you can cut them down and grow more and we get a better check’. It causes the constituency to care about it. Believe me if you go to Alaska and say let’s cut oil drilling in half in Alaska, the first thing people in Alaska are going to do is ask what is that going to do to my permanent dividend check, ‘Well it’s probably going to cut it in half, ‘Well forget that, we aren’t doing it.”

According to Larson, this type of dividend would affect those in the urban areas of Oregon just as much as those in the rural areas.

This would cause those in the urban areas to take a new interest in what is happening in the rural portions of the state, where industries such as logging are more prevalent.

“I tend to disagree with an awful lot of the con-

www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

Lars Larson in his downtown Portland studio ventional wisdom of the state which makes me about that from time to time. I think about is sad. I think the state has so much potential, but what I am doing now, would that have made I think the potential is being wasted. Because my mother proud.” there are politicians who have their own idea

In 1983 Larson made a break from of how things would work best here, and it’s radio and went to work at KVAL television unfortunate, but an awful lot of what they’ve station in Eugene where right from the beginbeen doing, that they think works best, demon- ning he covered the Diane Down’s murder stratively works terribly, so we have a state that trial. After his stint at KVAL he began working has an abundance of timber we don’t cut, we at KPTV 12 in Portland as a reporter, and an have an abundance of minerals we don’t dig anchor. He also produced documentaries and out of the ground, we have an abundance of the NW Report. During his television career farming activity that we could be doing that we Larson worked at five different stations. are not, and there is really nothing that stops

Radio was in his blood however and any of those things from happening except he couldn’t seem to stay away from it, so he politics. There is a guy named Mike McClain began working at KXL radio, having a talk from central Oregon who points out that there’s show during the day and then anchoring on the an allocation of water from the Columbia River evening news on television at night. that Oregon could be taking, but the state, for Finally Larson knew he had to make some reason, chooses not to take, and he’s tried a decision. He also knew that radio was so to get the legislature to sign off on increasmuch a part of who he was, so it was an easy ing the allocation. He says we could open up decision to make; he left television and began 30,000 acres to agriculture and be growing more food, and for some reason the powers that working on the radio full-time. Over the years be in Salem have decided they don’t want to do he has work at a dozen radio stations.

In his personal life he has been married that. To me there is no sensible reason for not to his wife Tina for 19 years and they have just doing it, because if you say why shouldn’t we grow more food, more crops, and afford more welcomed their first granddaughter into the employment for more people, the only reason world. would be that there are some people that eat a

“It’s exciting, it’s wonderful, it’s fantasmeal three times a day, but they don’t believe tic, there’s nothing better,” said Larson about in agriculture, they don’t believe in growing his new grandparent role. food, they think the land would be better off if

Larson has accumulated 70 awards humans didn’t touch it. And I think that same from the Associated Press, Society of Profeslogic applies to the ocean would be better off if sional Journalists and the National Press Club. we didn’t fish it, the forests would be better off He has also received two Emmy’s and one if we didn’t cut it, and the land would be better Peabody. off if we didn’t farm it, leaving Oregon to be

He is currently a weekly guest on Fox one giant national park.”

News and has appeared on The O’Reilly Fac At the young age of 10, Larson lost his tor, Larry King Live, Scarborough County, Fox mother, who was killed by a drunk driver. “I and Friends, BBC Radio and has been a guest certainly love my mom,” said Larson. “She’s on countless local radio shows around the Unitbeen gone now for 47 years. I think I feel responsible to live up to what I think would have ed States. been her expectations of me. I do literally think

Page 3

The Gorge Business News

Outdoor Life

Cottonwood Crossing Summer Institute

Shawn Steinmetz with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indians delved into the meaning of Water Salmon, Deer Roots, Huckleberries and Water and how that vision steers restoration projects.

I

n June of 2016, six teachers and 18 to 24 high school students from rural eastern Oregon communities will spend a week at Oregon’s newest and second largest state park, Cottonwood Canyon State Park in eastern Oregon, as part of the second session of the Cottonwood Crossing Summer Institute. Here they will perform field studies in natural resource education and return to their communities to build connections and interest in rural sustainability and natural resources.

Teachers and students attending the six-day Summer Institute will spend most of their time outdoors: tent camping, outdoor cooking; and conducting field studies. Students will have access to laptop computers and video cameras to complete data analysis, and to create posters and other displays of their work.

Participants will arrive on Sunday and be assigned to cohort groups.

The organizing theme for 2016 is One Million Drops, during which the fate of a drop of water in the watershed is explored. The specific topic areas selected by participating teachers for the 2016 Institute are: macro-invertebrates; riparian areas and stream health; hydrology; and photography/writing.

While the CCSI program is intended to serve the entire 10-county John Day Watershed, most of the students in the program are expected to come from adjoining Gilliam, Sherman and Wheeler counties.

The Institute will be organized and led by a volunteer steering committee composed of representatives from Oregon Parks and Recreation, Oregon State Parks Foundation, Regional Solutions/Department of Environmental Quality, Classroom Without Walls and Eastern Oregon University/GO-STEM (Science Technology Engineering & Math) Hub. The latter two organizations are experienced providers

www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

of professional development for educators.

Classroom Without Walls has been leading authentic outcomes-based learning experiences for teachers and students since 1994, and provides coursework and curriculum that spans an entire year including classroom planning and preparation for an outdoor field-based project, the field experience itself, and follow-up for data analysis and project completion in the classroom.

GO-STEM provides regional professional development focused on the integration of STEM content areas in real-world applications. GO-STEM provides professional development; supports teachers in developing lessons within rigorous content standards; and guide students to utilize science practices (e.g., questioning, problem solving, data collection, etc.).

The high school teachers will develop an augmented, outdoor based curriculum for their students. The 9th to 11th grade

students will participate in a week of field studies in hydrology and biology with natural resource experts and instructors from Eastern Oregon University.

Teachers and students will take the knowledge gained from the Institute to replicate a similar study within in their own community. College-level writing and art instruction (e.g., photography, poetry) will help the students explain the science behind the studies completed at the Institute to their community. Results of their work will be shared with the public at Cottonwood and within their own communities.

The field studies portion of the Summer Institute will take place over six days in June (June19- 24, 2016). Upon completion, participants will complete a second natural resources project in their home community that will take place during the 2016-17 school year.

What is the goal of CCSI? The goal of CCSI is to serve John Day Watershed area students and

Page 4

Outdoor Life

The Gorge Business News

Cottonwood Crossing Summer Institute educators with outdoor education opportunities that enhance their natural resource literacy and other learning needs. CCSI was founded around the central idea of cultivating a sense of place in rural communities by developing pathways for students and teachers to participate in authentic outcomes-based learning outside the classroom and in their community. The Oregon Parks and Recreation themes of Nature, History, and Discovery form the framework of the curriculum.

There are specific objectives for each of the three audiences served through the CCSI: to offer professional development opportunities for six teachers and begin to form a rural network of K-12 teachers dedicated to developing and integrating authentic outdoor learning experiences into their classrooms using the local watershed; offer 24 students the chance to work on high-quality, longterm projects that deepen their knowledge and understanding of real issues in their watershed and community; and to build community connections and interest in rural sustainability and natural resources through place-based education. Consistent with best practices, CCSI offers authentic outcomes-based learning opportunities for students. Projects are rooted in real, relevant community issues, and connected to Oregon career pathways. Place-based education boosts student engagement and academic achievement and forges connections within the community by allowing students to make tangible contributions to real community problems. GOSTEM will work directly with the instructors and teachers to support the integration of grade level content standards and the development of inquiry-based lessons that can be implemented in the classroom. Throughout this professional development experience, teachers will be immersed in a practicum that models placebased education. CCSI will use best practices for professional development by providing an experience that employs active learning; models strategies that teachers can implement with their students; and provides an experience that builds teacher’s knowl-

edge and skills.

The ultimate outcome of this program is an autonomous, supportive network of K-12 teachers from the watershed in a Professional Learning Community (PLC) dedicated to using experiential place-based education. Achieving this goal requires long-term sustainability of the program. To accomplish this, the steering committee is seeking to develop a business plan that would provide for paid staff.

CCSI staff would organize the event each year, develop a follow-up program to work with teachers who are integrating CCSI lessons into classroom curriculum, evaluate program success, work with EOU to develop career pathways for high school students toward degree programs, develop courses for EOU education or natural resource students to readily connect with CCSI, and expand the project to other watersheds in eastern Oregon.

Why is this project important for the John Day watershed community?

Many rural youth are exposed to a more limited view of career options than their urban and suburban peers. Rural economies do not support the variety of careers that exist and that students can aspire to achieve. It is an objective of CCSI to expose students to a broader view of what is possible for their futures and to inspire them to continue their education after high school if their goals require it. While rural living is often seen by the general population as synonymous with a healthy lifestyle, the numbers tell a different story. Rates of cancer deaths are higher in some of our rural communities and the increased risk has been associated with behaviors including physical inactivity. Rural adolescents have also been shown to consume less fruit and are more likely to be overweight than their peers.

CCSI exposes youth to outdoor adventure and life skills that can be transformative.

As a group, students in eastern Oregon perform about 5% below the Oregon average on their math scores for standardized tests. In addition, teachers in rural

www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

schools tend to be isolated from their peers. They often teach several subjects and may be the only teacher of a particular content area at their school. CCSI will build a Professional Learning Community for teachers around the concept of place-based learning which integrates math content into authentic real-world applications.

CCSI and Oregon Parks and Recreation would like to encourage and equip future generations of Oregonians to live the life they dream of and to understand, value and be good stewards of our region’s public lands. CCSI extends classrooms into the outdoors, and connects students with the natural environment while supporting the achievement of the Oregon Environmental Literacy Plan. The interactions that will take place also help address the economic challenges faced by ranching and farming communities in rural Oregon.

Have you run this program before?

In June 2015, CCSI was successfully launched with 10 high school participants from Arlington, Condon, La Grande and Boise and five participating teachers from the John Day watershed. The students and their teachers camped out for five days and earned college credits while studying local plant species, archaeology, writing and photography. They also went rafting, gazed at stars, told stories, and held a chili cook-off.

OPRD archaeologist Nancy Nelson led groups on discovery and interpretation of stacked rock features within the park. Students learned how to take great care and practice responsible environmental stewardship when coming into contact with historic and prehistoric artifacts.

OPRD natural resource specialist Noel Bacheller also spearheaded a plant inventory in Esau Canyon, where students were able to track native and invasive species and then made comparisons to previous inventories to spot possible trends.

What is the future of the Cottonwood Crossing Summer Institute?

Eastern Oregon University (EOU) is eager to continue working with the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Regional Solutions Centers, North Fork John Day Watershed Council, Grande Ronde Model Watershed Council and the Oregon State Parks Foundation to grow a Summer Institute devoted to experiential education at the newly created Cottonwood Canyon State Park. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, Gilliam County, Sherman County and the Oregon Community Foundation have already made significant political and monetary contributions to the construction of an Experience Center, a facility expressly designed for information display, learning, and service to communities and citizens. Gilliam County has publicly challenged Wheeler and Sherman counties to provide funding to support education through the newly-constructed center.

Expected Outcomes of this Project

Teachers who participate in CCSI are expected to: ●Increase their knowledge and skills related to the watershed ●Increase knowledge and use of inquiry-based lessons ●Increase pedagogical knowledge and use of experiential placebased teaching methods ●Participate in a regional PLC

Students who participate in CCSI are expected to: ●Increase academic achievement and engagement in school ●Increase understanding and engagement with natural resource and community issues ●Enhance understanding about future natural resources career options

These outcomes are expected based on: ●use of best practices in professional development including active learning and modeling teaching methods ●sustained collaboration among teachers through the PLC ●implementation of place-based and inquiry-based learning at the summer institute and in the classroom.

Page 5

Work & Play

The Gorge Business News

The Man in the Union Suit

by Norbert Fensterwald

G

rowing 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 into trouble throwing dirt clods in Fernwood School’s back yard. Brother Tom and I also listened to phonograph a lot (you know, a record player) and one of the best recorded stories was about the “Man in the Union Suit.”

This make-believe chap could repair anything…car, bike, trike, kite…You get the idea. Indeed, part of the ditty included, “If you’re ever in a jam, You can send a telegram, To the man in the Union Suit.”

Bingen, in the Gorge, may not have a handyman (I guess now its “handyperson’) as versatile and resourceful as the Union Suited fellow, but it does have DJs Mountain Mo-

torsports right on Highway 14 to help those mid-Columbia River Do-it-yourselfers with just about every project imaginable.

When we moved to the country, we had no idea what we might need in the way of tools and what was going to need to be repaired or better adapted to our needs. With the projects starting, and going and still going, we soon learned that DJs was our “Go-To” shop for all of our power equipment, tool and supply needs that was local and resourceful.

Needed a stump-grinder: DJs had the tool.

Wanting to buy a new chainsaw: DJs had three major brands to choose from. Required mower repair: DJs has a back repair shop that can handle any kind of small engine repair.

The outfit has been owned by Dave and Jan Clark for over two decades. They are open on every day but Sunday and major holidays.

My “go to” guy is Doug at the sales and rental, but there is a team of people who are incredibly helpful. I’ve gotten every problem ever presented solved, rented whatever tool needed, bought what I thought I needed and the helpful staff has assisted with information, advice and

even loading said rental tool.

I asked what some of the more requested rental tools was. The answer sounded as if I was Morrison-Knudson about to build a dam: mini-excavators, earth augers, Ditch Witches, compacters and the list went on from there.

And if the man in the Union Suit needed to make home calls, he could go in style with his ATV from DJs. They make available lines of personal transportation vehicles—4-Wheelers, Side-by-Sides, Snow Mobiles and had so for just over three years. I was told that the store was also expanding their apparel and accessory lines from just the expected logging equipment and basic outdoor apparel to all kinds of snow/dirt protective gear.

Being somewhat of a city boy, I asked if it were just the vacation seekers that use these ATV and togs and Ed Arnold, a local rancher-farmer-logger spoke up, “Are you kidding me, I use my 4-wheeler every day out and about my place.” DJs sure has one client advocate.

More on DJs can be found on Facebook as well as DJsMountainmotorsports.com

State grants $10.6 million for energy efficiency and solar projects ing meaningful investments in targeted small cities and towns (populations of 5,000 or less) to public facilities,” said Brian

Funds will lower energy receive at least 10 percent of each Bonlender, director of the state costs in public buildings and Department of Commerce. “These competitive funding round. create an estimated 531 jobs

“Conversion to LED street grants will create jobs now, save taxpayer money by lighting could cut en he Washington State ergy use by almost 60 reducing energy use and “Commerce Department of Commerce today percent, and this grant operating costs over helps strengthen announced over $10 million in the life of the projects, communities by is an extremely valuable energy efficiency and solar grants and contribute to these making meaningful piece of the business to help reduce energy costs at communities’ energy case to convert,” said investments in eight higher education institutions, resilience. I’m proud that public facilities,” Scott Stanford, energy 32 local governments, four state Washington State contin- ~Brian Bonlender adviser for Chelan PUD agencies, and eight K-12 public ues to lead in energy polin charge of the utility’s school districts. See the full list project. “Energy savings icy and action to secure of 52 grant awards on our webour clean energy future.” from the street lights in the city site. of Wenatchee and rural Chelan

The 2015 Legislature

Construction spending appropriated $25 million for the County alone will be enough to on these projects will create an power 39 local homes.” Unlike statewide energy efficiency and estimated 531 jobs. The total cost solar grants program, specifying older street lights, LED bulbs can for all the projects is about $54.2 at least $5.7 million for projects burn for 20 years before they need million, including more than to be replaced. that involve the purchase and in$42.2 million in non-state funds. stallation of solar energy systems

Since the energy efficiency

“Commerce helps and solar grants program started with a preference for Washingstrengthen communities by makton-manufactured systems. It also as the Jobs Act in 2010, 221 proj-

T

www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

ects have been funded with a total of $113 million. Nearly 1,800 jobs were reported, and community energy savings are estimated at nearly $11 million.

The grants are awarded through a competitive process and must be used for only energy and operational cost saving and solar installations. These new projects were selected from 64 grant applications requesting over $13.3 million.

Commerce awarded $7.5 million for energy efficiency projects and $3.1 million for solar photovoltaic and solar thermal projects. See the full list of awards on our website.

Commerce will hold another round of competition for approximately $8.6 million in grants in spring 2017. For more information, visit the Energy Efficiency page on the Commerce website.

Page 6

The Gorge Business News

Business

Oregon SBDC Network Awarded National Accreditation

T

he 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 SBDC, which represents the nationwide network of SBDCs. Nearly 1,000 SBDC service centers, like the one at BMCC, are hosted around the country at local colleges and universities and state economic development agencies. They are funded, in part, by the U.S. Congress through a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration. SBDCs offer assistance to local businesses, such as business plan development, counseling, training and more.

“This accreditation without conditions is a wonderful accomplishment by the Oregon

SBDC Network and reflects well on our BMCC Small Business Development Center,” said BMCC President Cam Preus. “This is a proud moment for all of those in Oregon’s SBDCs who have worked so hard to serve local small business communities for so many years.”

Last November, Oregon SBDC staff and advisors met with the accreditation team comprised of regional and state SBDC directors: Al Salgado, Southwest Texas SBDC (Team Lead), Michael Myhre, Florida SBDC, and Katie Sewell, Idaho SBDC. The accreditation process requires the state network to meet a rigorous set of Baldridge based accreditation standards developed and deployed in cooperation with the SBA.

Based on the on-site review, final report and presentation by the accreditation team, the Accreditation Committee voted at its January 29 meeting to accept the recommendation of the team to fully accredit the Oregon SBDC Network with no conditions. The

Volume 2 - Issue 3 May/June 2016 Publisher Lori Kimbel lorikimbel@neobn.com PO Box 295 Elgin, Oregon 97827 541-910-1096

Accreditation Committee stated in their letter, “Numerous examples of innovative thinking and actions are detailed within the reports, as well as a number of important recommendations for the Oregon SBDC to consider implementing. The Oregon Small Business Development Center Network is commended for both its dedication and commitment to the pursuit of continuous improvement.”

PENDLETON BIKE WEEK PRESENTS

Serving Arlington, Biggs Junction Bingen, Cascade Locks Dallesport, Hood River Lyle, Maryhill Mosier, North Bonneville Rowena,Rufus Skamani, Stevenson The Dalles, Underwood White Salmon, Wishram www.facebook.com/thegorgebusinessnews www.linkedin.com/in/lorikimbel www.instagram.com/lorikimbel Twitter - neobnlori www.studio6designworks.com www.thegorgebusinessnews.com www.lorikimbelphotography.com The Gorge Business News is owned and published by Studio 6 Designworks A Creative Publishing, Marketing, and Consulting Company

POSTMASTER: send address changes to Studio 6 Designworks PO Box 295, Elgin, Oregon 97827 Subscription Rates: To subscribe to The Gorge Business News Mail $18 to PO Box 295, Elgin, Oregon 97827

IN CONCERT

SATURDAY JULY 23RD Happy Canyon Stadium, Pendleton Oregon

The Only Impossible Journey Is The One You Never Begin ~Tony Robbins www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

Tickets Online at:

www.pendletonbikeweek.com .45 Caliber Poker Run - Wounded Warrior Bike Show & More

Page 7

Fish & Wildlife

The Gorge Business News

Senate Passes Bipartisan Energy Bill with Big Benefits for Fish and Wildlife Sportsmen have been fighting for years to move these conservation priorities across the finish line

T

he Senate has just passed a comprehensive energy reform bill that includes key conservation provisions to benefit fish, wildlife, and sportsmen’s access. This is a true bipartisan achievement that highlights our uniquely American conservation values.

“Sportsmen’s groups, including the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership and virtually all of our partners, have been working for years to pass comprehensive legislation that enhances access and conserves vital habitat,” says Whit Fosburgh, president and CEO of the TRCP. “This bill succeeds on both measures, and hunters and anglers should applaud its passage as an indication that enthusiasm for conservation is very much alive in Washington.”

“The Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015” would permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a critical program for enhancing public access to the outdoors. It also includes a provision known as “Making Public Lands Public,” which specifies that 1.5 percent of LWCF dollars are to be used to establish and expand recreational access to national public lands, in particular.

“Permanent reauthorization of the Theresa Smolkowski with a Chinook Salmon from Lookingglass Creek north of Elgin.

Land and Water Conservation Fund means we never again have to experience uncertainty for the program,” says Bethany Erb, a Mule Deer from strategic federal land sales to protect disappearance of key breeding habitats in the Foundation board member. “Over the past 50 high priority federal conservation areas that Duck Factory.” years, the LWCF has enhanced public acpreserve important fish and wildlife habitat,

Recreational anglers would also get a cess for hunters and urban families alike, and increase recreational opportunities, and proboost from the amendment, which authorizes the ‘Making Public Lands Public’ provision tect our nation’s special places.” Prior to its the National Fish Habitat Conservation Act. would ensure that improvements for outdoor expiration in 2011, FLTFA leveraged strategic The program was created to foster partnerships recreation—a robust driver federal land sales to fund that improve conditions for fish species and “These investof spending—are adequately 39 priority conservation enhance recreational fishing opportunities. funded.” ments have major projects, including many “The National Fish Habitat Conservation Act

This is the first enerthat expanded sportsmen’s brings together state and federal agencies as on-the-ground imgy reform legislation passed access to world-class hunt- well as conservation organizations to better in the upper chamber in nine pacts for the maning and fishing opportunicoordinate watershed restoration activities,” years—a feat in itself—but agement and conser- ties. says Steve Moyer, vice president for governhunters and anglers are es The amendment also ment affairs at Trout Unlimited. “It’s really vation of wetlands pecially pleased to see that reauthorizes the North just a commonsense approach to restore and many elements of the Biparti- for waterfowl and American Wetlands Conprotect fish habitat, that also creates great opsan Sportsmen’s Act of 2015 other wildlife.” servation Act (NAWCA), portunities for the angling community. We’re (S.405) have finally found a grant program through thrilled to see it be approved by the Senate.”

-John Devney a way forward through an which each federal dollar

The energy reform package must now amendment offered by Senators invested is matched an be reconciled with the House bill (H.R. 8), Lisa Murkowksi (R-Alaska) and Maria Cantaverage of three times over by non-federal dol- which was passed in December 2015, and sent well (D-Wash.) It passed 97-0 yesterday. lars. “These investments have major on-theto the president’s desk before the end of this

The amendment permanently reauthoground impacts for the management and conCongress. rizes the Federal Land Transaction Facilitation servation of wetlands for waterfowl and other

Inspired by the legacy of Theodore Act, “a critical conservation tool for Western wildlife,” says John Devney, vice president Roosevelt, the TRCP is a coalition of orgalands,” says Larry Selzer, president and CEO of U.S. policy for Delta Waterfowl. “In the nizations and grassroots partners working of The Conservation Fund. “We applaud this prairie potholes region, for example, NAWCA together to preserve the traditions of hunting bipartisan action to advance the permanent dollars could mean the difference between the and fishing. authorization of FLTFA, which uses proceeds protection of grasslands and wetlands and the

www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

Page 8

The Gorge Business News

Livestock - Alpacas

Tour the Farm at Cedar Creek Alpacas in June

they are like potato chips, you can’t have just one.”

One of the reasons the Rogers’ raise alpacas is so they lan and Angela Rogers of Cedar can help other people get into this Creek Alpacas will be having an open farm type of business. weekend June 11 & 12 at their farm, which is

“Alpacas are very aplocated at 182 McNichols in Cook, Washingpealing to people with little to ton. Farm tours will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. no livestock experience,” said on both Saturday and Sunday.

Angela. “They are easy to handle,

It will be a fun-filled weekend with all do not require grooming, and are things alpaca. They will be featuring their first easy on the land. I like to consider ever Fleece to Fashion Spin In. It all begins them an alternative to traditional with the shearing of a couple of alpacas at 10 livestock. Their main purpose is a.m. and 11 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, the luxurious fleece they produce. then the Penninsula Fiberistas will be demonThey are great as a hobby, or can strating their spinning and be a profitable busiweaving skills. Spinners with “I am now ness with the usual their own wheel are welcome work that farming, or to join in on the fun and cre- teaching others these owning a business reativity. skills. It is fun to quires. There are good

Local Gorge band share my knowledge tax benefits as well” Blunami will provide rhythm Of course any busiand blues musical entertain- of the alpacas and the ness comes with its Angela and Teddy at Cedar Creek Alpacas ment Saturday at noon. fiber they produce.” own set of trials.

Be sure to check out Now that I spin the fiber into yarn it gives me Angela Rogers “As with any the Farm Store as well, which a better understanding of the qualities of fleece business there are challenges,” will be open from 10 a.m. to said Angela. “It may be something to breed for. It helps me to make better breed4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Felted art, woven simple like finding a hay grower, or more diffi- ing decisions. I am now teaching others these scarves, handspun yarn, alpaca rugs, hats and skills. It is fun to share my knowledge of the cult like diagnosing an illness. For us we take gloves and socks are all in stock. Credit cards alpacas and the fiber they produce,” she said. each challenge as a learning experience. We are welcome. did not have very much ex Alpacas came to the United States perience in raising livestock in the mid-1980’s. They are a domesticated year round. Our son had 4-H member of the camel family and live between hogs for several years. There 15-20 years. They weigh between 10 and 17 is a big difference between pounds at birth then grow to between 100 and hogs and alpacas. I have to 190 pounds as adults. say alpacas are much more

“I fell in love with them right from the adorable! The alpaca commustart,” said Angela. “Everything about them is nity is very supportive. We beautiful and worth it. They are easy to care are all still learning things. for and you only have to shear them once a Alpacas have only been in year.” the country since the 1980’s.

There are approximately 40 alpacas at The alpaca fleece industry is the Cedar Creek Alpaca farm. “With this many growing and there is more alpacas we have a wide range of demand for the personalities,” said Angela. “From fiber now. High the very beginning, with the first end designers are six, we had shy ones and friendly buying. It is a great ones. Some are shy and keep their time to be in the distance, some walk right up to us industry!” and like to be touched. We have our

In addition to kissy face alpacas like Ruby and the animals Angela Teddy, and then we have the girls, or also enjoys weavboys that for some reason just prefer ing and felting. to hang with the herd. Of course

“When we when food is involved most will eat first purchased the alpacas I from our hand; they are quite easy to handle didn’t have a clue how to do due to their size. I would say 95% do not want anything with the fleece. I the top of their head touched. When people pet was a crafty person, so natuthem we let them know this so that they start rally I searched out tutorials with their neck. They are easy to halter-train, on felting. My stepmom is a so they can be led around, and in and out of spinner, weaver and knitter trailers for transport. They are a herd animal, so I got real lucky there to so they would get very lonely if they do not have a family member be have another alpaca around. We always say able to teach me these things.

By Lori Kimbel

A

www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

Page 9

Business

The Gorge Business News

Inslee Orders Wildfire Training for Washington National Guard

I

n preparation for the 2016 wildfire season, Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday directed the Washington National Guard to train and certify up to 250 guard personnel.

In a letter to Maj. Gen. Bret Daugherty, Inslee directed the guard to coordinate with the state Department of Natural Resources to ensure enough personnel are properly trained to maintain 10 crews of 200 personnel. The training will allow the guard to assist on the fire lines for state, federal and local wildfire response efforts.

Guard personnel who completed similar training last year joined the teams that fought the Kettle Complex fires in Eastern Washington, the first and only time such integration has happened. This teamwork is credited for boosting the efficiency of the wildfire response and lowering the number of injuries.

Washington has experienced historic wildfire seasons the past two years. Due to the increasing severity of Washington’s wildfire seasons, Inslee and Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark last year convened a Wildland Fire Council to assess plans, policies and resources related to wildfire preparedness, resiliency, response and recovery. The council will complete a preliminary report with recommendations for the governor by July 1, 2016.

Photo by Lori Kimbel

National Guard Firefighters during the 2015 Wildfire Season

Dr. Williams Named State Director of Economic Development for the Information & Communication Technology Sector

Dr. Joseph Williams named state Director of Economic Development for the Information and Communication Technology sector

working with angel investing and software-asa-service (SaaS) companies and customers on the business models and economics of cloud computing. He serves on the executive board of Sound Generations and on the editorial board of IT Professional, writing a regular column on “Life in the C-Suite.” Dr. Williams ormer industry executive and busi authored three books and dozens of articles ness-government-economics school dean at related to the ICT industry while he was a proSeattle Pacific University will serve as prinfessor in the College of Business at Colorado cipal adviser to Governor Inslee, director of State University in the 1990s. economic development for the information

“I’m pleased to welcome Joseph in and communication technology industry sector his new role. Washington State’s dominant in Washington state.

ICT industry is continually evolving. We must

The Washington State Department of focus on strengthening STEM education, Commerce announced today that Dr. Joseph providing more pathways for the next generWilliams will lead the state’s efforts to develop ation of highlyskilled workers our companies and grow Washington’s $40-billion informaneed, and helping entrepreneurs start and tion and communication technology (ICT) grow businesses that will create new jobs,” industry sector, which employs nearly 200,000 said Governor Jay Inslee. “With his successful people in some 14,000 ICT companies. industry background spanning the business

A former executive with Microsoft and and academic communities, Joseph will be an Sun Microsystems, Dr. Williams was recently excellent liaison between industry and govthe Dean of the School of Business, Governernment as we work together to keep our state ment and Economics at Seattle Pacific Univer- leading the world in IT innovation.” sity. In this new role, he will serve as strategic “Information and communication techadviser to the Governor, and primary point of nology and other industry sectors we target are contact for technology companies interested in the engines of our overall economy, but these doing business and expanding in Washington key sectors have huge impact locally, where state. they are a critical component for strong, vi Dr. Williams has had a distinguished brant communities all over the state,” said Bricareer in the tech industry, in academia and an Bonlender, director of the Washington State the public sector. He has extensive experience Department of Commerce, where Dr. Wil-

F

www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

liams will be based in the Office of Economic Development and Competitiveness. “Communities everywhere depend on our incredible IT industry. Joseph’s position is a crucial part of our state strategy for meeting the diverse needs of local communities by supporting and expanding this important sector.”

“Our state’s ICT ecosystem is built on a dynamic foundation of companies and workers that are world class. I look forward to working closely with the Washington Technology Industry Association, Gov. Inslee, Director Bonlender and the amazing constellation of businesses and stakeholders located in communities across Washington to keep growing and strengthening this vital industry sector,” Williams said.

“The ICT sector has one main priority -- talent,” said Michael Schutzler, CEO of the Washington Technology Industry Association.

“We are eager to work with Dr. Williams in building a strong public-private partnership to expand the capacity of our world-class higher education programs, recruiting brilliant engineers and entrepreneurs to the region, and expanding access to careers in tech for women, veterans and underrepresented minorities.”

Dr. Williams has degrees from the University of California-Berkley, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the University of Texas-Austin. He assumes his new role, based in the Department of Commerce, May 2.

Page 10

The Gorge Business News

Investing

Dengue, Ebola and Zika.....Oh My!

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 now!

Not heard about this scourge that threatens the very existence of our society?! Oh, yes you have! When I mention Bird flu, swine flu, or H5N1 Avian flu; you get it. These diseases are infections that have been somehow transferred from animals to humans. But then you think, ‘Well, that’s not so bad. It’s just the flu….. We’ll get over it.’

Au Contraire! Ever heard of Monkey Pox, Dengue Fever or Zika?

Have I got your attention yet?

How about my mentioning of HIV, Ebola or Spanish flu. You should be one paragraph away from being scared witless.

Yes Martha, Television programs and movies like The Andromeda Strain, The Last Ship and World War “Z” have a real basis in fact. What I mean to say is with every passing year (tropical rainy season to be more accurate) there is an increasing threat of some kind of mutating viral disease about to be passed from a sick and dying animal to a human host.

Juxtaposed to the threat, the ever increasing encroachment of humans into tropical forested and jungles increases likelihood of humans catching some disease and the availability of inexpensive and available air travel gives rise to quicker and broader spread of these diseases.

In a new book called Pandemic by Sonia Shaw, the author cites a study in which, “90% of epidemiologists believe a global pandemic will sicken one billion and kill up to 165 million within the next two generations.” This event would make the Spanish flu of 1918, which killed 20 to 30 million, look like a dry rehearsal by comparison. In the meantime, we’ll have to buck-up against simple outbreaks of Ebola or Zika that kills or maims merely tens of thousands.

Now, this is a column about small, equity investments. So, it has to be an upbeat story and not one to cause national panic. Well, there is a very real and “un”qualified medical answer to new, possibly pandemic problems. The FDA is very aware of this medical device. DARPA is financing research and production of a treatment variant to specifically combat sepsis (or blood poisoning) in battle-wounded warriors’ right at the MASH unit.

Hospitals overseas have used the device to treat, and often successfully cure HIV, Hepatitis C and Ebola.

What is this treatment? The company is called Aethlon Medical, Inc., (NASDAQ: AEMD-$5.60) and their remarkable device is called the

www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

Hemopurifier. It tackles viral infections in a wholly different manner than vaccines. In a medical setting, the professional runs a sick patient’s blood through the “HP”, much like dialysis patients having their blood cleared of chemical contaminants. But this device actually subtracts-out viral germs and their sub-particles from the blood based not on size or molecular charge—like most filtrations procedures, but on the complex sugar structure that cloaks all human viruses. Two important items: a) All viruses that infect human, to date, have exterior structures made of this similar material; and b) The HP appears to only remove “bad things” from the blood—not good particles, has no side-effects and does not add the potential of drug toxicity or drug-drug interactions, and when used on very ill patients seems not to have any detrimental effect.

It is very risky to discuss a medical company that has not cleared all the FDA hurdles necessary to make a treatment available in the USA. The device has been successfully used in over 200 patient treatments and the following list of uses shows the broad therapeutic applicability and potency of the HP

And, did you notice that the Hemopurifier was used successfully on an Ebola patient? Yes, in December of 2014, Dr. Mawanda, a physician treating ill patients in Africa, caught the disease, was so ill that several organs shut down, he was on respiratory assistance and in a coma. He was treated in Germany once with the HP, for 6½ hours to remove the germs.

The therapy was so effective the patient’s own immune system kicked in and he returned home a weeks later.

Aethlon in currently running the Hemopurifier through a “safety study” in one of the major Da Vita dialysis centers in Houston. They are testing it on End State Renal Disease patients that also have Hepatitis C to both examine any potential harm that the device might inflect on patients as well as to measure its ability to remove HepC germs from very ill dialysis patients. This 10-patients trial mimics the similar trial performed in India about three years ago where it produced some exceptional, therapeutic results.

The stock is at the low end of its 18 month range and has all the characteristics needed to be a “10-bagger” stock. During the furor of the Ebola outbreak, the shares zoomed to $35 (share adjusted) but it now is down almost 85%. On one hand, the Company’s balance sheet is puny and weak. But on the other hand, DARPA just re-jiggered research monies to help fund HP production stream-lining and quality control standards for the manufacture of the device. ​

Mr. Robins consulted with Aethlon for three years ending December, 2014. At this time, he has no financial connections with the Company but Robins and all members of his family own shares and may buy or sell shares at any time in the market for portfolio management purposes.

Page 11

Travel Oregon

The Gorge Business News

Travel Oregon Announces Recipients of 2015

he Oregon Tourism Commission (dba

Travel Oregon) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2015 Travel and Tourism Industry Achievement Awards, presented at the 2016 Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Pendleton, Ore.

The annual awards recognize people and organizations across the state that go the extra mile to enhance the travel and tourism industry in Oregon. The award recipients are outstanding examples of professionals who, by virtue of their vision, perseverance and dedication, are a credit to Oregon’s tourism and hospitality industry.

The state’s most prized recognition is the Governor’s Tourism Award. This year’s award recognizes the sister park agreement between Crater Lake National Park and Wuyishan National Scenic Area (a UNESCO World Heritage Site in China). To honor their efforts in finalizing the agreement, the award was presented to Carolyn Hill, Executive Director of the Crater Lake National Park Trust and CEO

of Travel Southern Oregon, and to Craig Ack- Travel Oregon CEO Todd Davidson was roped and branded at the Oregon Governor’s erman, Superintendent of Crater Lake National Tourism Conference by the Pendlton Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors.

Park.

“I applaud Carolyn Hill and Craig Ackerman for their efforts to further strengthen enjoyed the outdoors with gusto. This award of Cottage Grove, for her work leading the the bond between Oregon and her sister state recognizes an outstanding contribution for a city’s graffiti rapid response team. Longfellow in China, the Fujian Province,” said Oregon tourism-related activity or attraction focused on voluntarily assists the city in removing graffiGovernor Kate Brown. “By achieving greater Oregon’s natural beauty or outdoor recreation. ti from covered bridges and other high-traffic understanding of our respective natural enviThe award was presented to the Willamette Riv- locations to keep Cottage Grove beautiful. ronments, we cultivate mutual respect for and erkeeper, for its efforts to protect and restore the The Oregon Heritage Tourism Award understanding of each other’s cultures.”

Willamette River. The group also provides oprecognizes outstanding incorporation of Ore The 2015 Travel and Tourism Industry portunities to learn and explore the river through gon’s authentic cultural or natural history as a Achievement Awards were announced in these paddling trips and presentations from its River way to draw visitors to the state. Distinguished categories: Discovery Education Program. as America’s longest running community pag The Gene Leo Memorial Award was

The Outstanding Oregon Tourism Voleant, the Happy Canyon Indian Pageant and established in 1994 to honor the late Gene Leo, unteer Award recognizes the significant commit- Wild West Night Show and its 800 volunteers known for his Oregon tourism contributions ment by an individual or a group of individuals lauded this year’s award. Volunteers recreate the as Director of the Oregon Zoo, Portland Rose who exemplify the positive impact volunteers history of Pendleton, beginning with the proud Festival and the Portland Oregon Visitors Ashave on Oregon’s travel and tourism industry. traditions of its first citizens, the peoples of sociation (now Travel Portland). Gene revered The award was presented to Marie Longfellow the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla nations.

Oregon’s natural beauty, loved her people and

but she also came out here to help that we’ve established is going all of us, humble ourselves in Our hosts have welcomed to require tenacity, and vision, but serve dinner, so that she could us completely and you came ready service to one another and to the most of all its going to take trust. support and be part of that addito learn, you came ready to inneeds of our visitors. I was retional family so she could help put So as each of prepares to depart minded during this conference of spire, you came ready to connect. from this year’s conference join on a conference of this size here. that very fact. I had a chance to We are partners, we’re a family

So this reminds me again me please join me in recommitmeet Jennifer the owner of Cimreally. In fact some of this refer ting yourself to deliberately and miattis a fabulous restaurant in that there are no small players in to this as our family reunion, I Oregon’s travel and tourism indus- strategically remaining open to will tell you the image I am most downtown Pendleton and if you new ideas, communicating directly try. And we must continue to inhaven’t had an opportunity to eat drawn to is that of a family resure that only big thinking propels and productively and keeping your there, come back, stay longer, union because for me it depicts us forward. Thinking that ignores eyes firmly fixed on the prize. The do whatever you need to do. It is the goal that we are all striving a fabulous restaurant, the culigeo political boundaries were nec- prize of performing as one so we for as an industry. essary, thinking that will perpetucan go fast and working together nary scene in Pendleton is really

As I said yesterday mornreally blossoming, and Cimmottis ally and effortlessly position us as so we can go far and when necesing nothing happens by accident not some singular, isolated, stand- sary….take a walk. at the Oregon’s travel and tourism is evidence to that. In talking to alone entity but as really a pivotal, Todd Davidson Jennifer the owner of Cimmiatios industry, they happen because we CEO Travel Oregon have been deliberate, we have I also learned that the night of beautiful interwoven fabric of Or- our awards gala, she came here, egon’s travel and tourism industry. been strategic and we have been humbled. And I believe that for put on a tuxedo shirt and waited It’s exactly the kind of thing that our industry in Oregon is known our family, humility is the most tables. ….She’s the owner of the restaurant in downtown Pendleton for and building upon the success important. All of us, you and me,

T

www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

Page 12

Travel Oregon

The Gorge Business News

Travel & Tourism Industry Achievement Awards They then trace the arrival of settlers in search of a new promised land, and the coming of the cowboys who have forever left their mark on the frontier town. The pageant runs annually in conjunction with the Pendleton Round-Up.

The International Sales and Development Award recognizes excellence in the creative sales, marketing and development of Oregon as a destination in the international marketplace. The award was given to Lorna Davis, Executive Director of the Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce. An ambassador for the state, Davis helps sell Oregon to visitors across the globe through creative and collaborative efforts at international trade shows and by facilitating familiarization tours.

The Oregon Tourism Development Award recognizes creation of an innovative program, promotion, or product, utilizing best practices, sustainability, and creative problem-solving. This year’s award was presented to the Redfish Rocks Community Team for their efforts in creating a Scuba fill station in Port Orford. As a result of this new infrastructure, an additional 135 miles of coastline are now easier to access for Scuba activities to take advantage of year-round diving conditions.

The Outstanding Oregon PR Initiative Award recognizes the best domestic PR program that resulted in quality earned media coverage and inspired travel to Oregon. The Jupiter Hotel earned the award for its efforts to position itself as the epicenter of Portland’s artisan community by focusing on local partnerships. The hotel’s #Portland blog focuses on local beer, food, music, arts and travel and its “Portland Experience” packages highlight these same destination activities.

The Outstanding Oregon Social Media Program Award recognizes the best international or domestic social media program that engages or inspires potential travel to Oregon.

For the second consecutive year, the award was presented to Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory.

It’s “Win Bigfoot’s Dream Date” two-month campaign netted 995 contest entries and 416 new email subscribers while engagements on

www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

Facebook, Instagram and Twitter swelled. The interest in Bigfoot from this short campaign has spurred integration into future marketing strategies.

The Outstanding Oregon Visitor Guide Award celebrates the best domestic or international content program that inspires potential travel to Oregon. Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory earns the award for its 2015 Travel Planner.

The 36-page book was created as a trip-planning resource, but its photography, local voices and easily digestible content inspire visitors to keep the publication as a point of reference and to display it once their journey is complete.

The Oregon Outstanding Advertising Award recognizes superior advertising communication, regardless of budget size or medium.

The award was presented Samantha Brown of the Travel Channel was the Keynote Speakto the Tillamook County Creamery Association er. Samanthas Travel Channel shows include: Great Hotels, Girl Meets for their Co-Op adver- Hawaii, Passport to Europe, Passport to Latin America, Green Getaways, Passport to China, Great Weekends and Samantha Brown’s Asia tising campaign that targeted dairy lovers evmarketing program or campaign that attracted erywhere who believe in visitors to Oregon. The award was presented to the power of real, honest food, and encourages the Central Oregon Visitors Association for its these everyday people to make decisions about “Adventure Calls” campaign. Targeting young the company’s products.

The Outstanding Oregon Website Award adults in the Bay Area and Pacific Northwest, the print, digital and social campaign connected celebrates websites that utilize industry best with travelers interested in adventure, trying practices in design, technology, strategy and new things and making memories. Website content to impact travel to Oregon. The City sessions increased 141 percent and the Califorof Seaside Visitors Bureau nia audience grew by 334 percent. Most telling earned the award for www. of the campaign’s success, occupancy rates rose seasideor.com. In a colorful, simple and informative by 4.9 percent.

The Oregon Tourism Leadership Award format, the website allows recognizes individuals who champion the value visitors to navigate easily so they can spend less time of tourism and whose leadership behind the online and more time walk- scenes contributes significantly to the recognition and impact of Oregon’s travel and tourism ing the Promenade, enjoyindustry. Paving the way for the next generaing the carousel or riding tion to gain knowledge and a growing passion the waves where surfing for tourism, Melissa Steinman, owner of the conditions are known as Kayak Shack in Waldport, earned the award. A some of the best in the Waldport High School teacher, Steinman runs Northwest.

The Outstanding Overall and operates the Kayak Shack alongside her students in an effort to educate them on tour Oregon Marketing Program Award recognizes the operating. She has also received a grant to fund tourism curriculum to allow students to learn best integrated domestic more about getting jobs in coastal tourism and or international overall rural marketing.

Page 13

Travel Oregon

The Gorge Business News

Out and About Across Oregon with Tour de Mike

By Samara Phelps

Bicycle tourism is alive and well throughout Oregon

H

ow could it not be with awe inspiring landscapes from corner to corner? Do not be fooled, the success of cycling in Oregon is no accident. Passionate cyclists, dedicated community advocates and visionary agencies work to welcome cyclists from around the world in ways that strength economic vitality across the state. Beauty is the obvious reason people come to Oregon to bicycle but the hard work to connect cyclists to routes can be overlooked.

In April Tour de MIKE highlighted Oregon’s Mike the Bike (above) world class cycling and statewide network of proponents as it rolled from Springfield to Pendleton for the Governor’s Conference on Tourism.

Touching Adventure Cycling’s TransAmerica route and five scenic bikeways the itinerary showcased some of Oregon’s best cycling product.

Tour de MIKE celebrated the one year anniversary of the first visitor information center bike created by Travel Lane County. The Mobile Information Kiosk Explorer (MIKE) is a fully functional visitor center that embodies bicycle tourism.

Designed to celebrate the sometimes overlooked efforts to build bicycle tourism, Mike the Bike in Central Oregon (above) Tour de MIKE included a community event each night and local riders joined for portions of the ride. Three riders completed the entire 360 miles and 22,000 feet of elevation with a total of twenty six riders joining for portions of the ride. Riders represented Travel Lane County, The Mt Hood Territory, State Parks, Cycle Oregon and Travel Oregon along with local ride clubs and Scenic Bikeway proponents. Successful bicycle tourism is built by the dedicated work of these individual groups plugging away in their corners of the state. Tour de MIKE illustrated the powerful and inspiring way that bicycle tourism is connected throughout the state bringing representatives of these groups together on the road and in the communities where the work is done and hospitality delivered. Individual communities like Cottage Grove and Estacada with established Scenic Bikeways welcome Fossil and others along the new Painted Hills Scenic Bikeway to the club. These communities know firsthand that when the hard work is done and the Bikeway signs go up it is really just the beginning. The Natalie Inouye chair of the community is now a part of a network promoting the Bikeway scenic Bikeway committee (above) to bring cyclists to their town. With hospitality like Pendleton, Heppner, Fossil, Madras, Sisters and McKenzie Bridge rolled out for Tour de MIKE there is no doubt that cyclists from near and far will want to come and stay in Oregon. Oh and it’s also really beautiful here too.

www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

Shelly Batty Bike Concierge from Oregon City and Kara Wilson Tourism Commissioner opening the Scenic Bikeway

Clarno Unit

Page 14

The Gorge Business News

Washington Mavericks

Washington Maverick John Kueber Creates Jrrny.com

By Lori Kimbel

J

ohn Kueber’s first attempt at

public office, a bid for president of the junior high he had just started attending where he was known mostly as ‘the new kid’, taught him a lot about failure. Kueber lost the election by a landslide. “I didn’t really let it bug me,” he said. “It actually energized me.” It was at that moment he realized failure was a part of life. He also realized the thought of failing did not scare him in the least little bit. This notion helped shape him into the successful businessman

he has become.

Kueber was raised in Alberta, Canada, and then moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington, where he rowed for the crew team; an endeavor that gave him insight into a world of business he would soon find himself enveloped in once he graduated.

Fresh out of college he began selling advertising for digital media. It was the tip of the iceberg in what has become a digitally dominated career.

At 27-years-old he raised $400,000 for a business many people were skeptical about, an online hardware store. It worked.

Eventually he sold the business for over $3 million to Eagle Hardware Executives.

“I was a happy guy, but I wasn’t really living life. I had become owned by my work and wasn’t really having any real life experiences,” said Kueber.

After living life like a 28-year-old with a million dollars in his pocket, it was time to get serious again. So he put his entrepreneurial hat back on and created Urban Pages, a Seattle based print publication, and eventually expanding into Portland, Oregon. After five years he sold both publications to Tiger Oak Media, also a Seattle based company in the print publication field.

“I finally settled down and started the life I have always wanted,” said Kueber. “I got married and now have twin 8-year-old girls. Raising kids is like the most life-giving thing you could possibly do. I hope they still listen to me when they are 18! If they are, I would tell them to take as many “manageable risks” as they can.

By this, I mean if you have an opportunity and the worst thing that can happen is some failure, a hit to your ego, then do it. Between 18 and 25 you have a lot of freedom to make mistakes, and as long as you aren’t breaking the law, they generally pay off in at least experience down the road.”

After almost seven years as the chief operating officer at Tiger Oak Publications, a company that creates Seattle Magazine, Seattle Business, Seattle Bride, Oregon Bride, California Wedding Day, Urban Unveiled, Best Companies, and Seattle Health, Kueber knew he was ready for a change.

“-A year ago I knew it was time to go back to being an entrepreneur. I took some time off and went to Europe.” It was while bicycling in the Pyrenees of France that Kueber realized something was missing in the travel market. The business side of his brain kicked in while he made his way up the winding road he was currently peddling on. What if travelers had a platform where they could tell other travelers what was around the next corner, where the closest beer was, or the nearest place to get a great bite to eat, or the cheapest, or most expensive, place to stay?

www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

Jrrny.com was born. Jrrny is a user-generated online travel magazine, created by travelers for travelers. The goal of jrrny.com is to help travelers flesh out their itinerary before leaving home, and it is a great platform for travelers who want to share about their trip and travel adventures as it is happening.

Travelers, who like to write, can set up their own profile and have their first journey online within minutes, complete with photos and a jrrny-generated map of their journey location.

He came home from his trip to Europe with jrrny.com already created in his mind, although, according to Kueber, Jrrny is never truly “complete”. “We’ll continue to evolve the site to add video, more destinations, and thousands of more user posts. We’ll be launching an app later this year and many more exciting features planned. But for now, we believe we already have one of the best travel content sites anywhere. The community creates the jrrnys, and the community will always benefit from the shared knowledge. We’re in the advertising game for our revenue model. We currently have customers ranging from boutique hotels all the way to Starwood Hotels.

“For an entrepreneur, building a business is always exciting. I actually get chills when I read some of the posts on jrrny.com,” said Kueber. “It’s the idea that we are really bringing the world together with new and inspirational travel ideas. Instead of basing people’s trip decisions around hotels, we’re allowing people to picture the incredible experiences to be had around the world, and giving them the confidence to make that happen using real knowledge from our community. It is actually making the world a better place. It is bringing the world closer, more familiar, and not so intimidating.”

Page 15

Wildlife

Northeast The Gorge Oregon Business Business News News

Cormorant Nesting Colony Suffers Complete Failure

Cormorant Nesting Colony Targeted by Federal Agencies Suffers Complete Failure O

n May 19, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that the East Sand Island Cormorant Nesting Colony had suffered catastrophic failure with upwards of 16,000 Double-crested Cormorants abandoning their nests which were then quickly predated by scavengers such as gulls and crows. The complete collapse of the colony was preceded by weeks of intense killing and harassment of cormorants on and around East Sand Island with federal agents killing nearly 2,400 birds with shotguns and destroying more than 1,000 cormorant nests. The U.S. Army Corps has temporarily suspended the slaughter of these birds while it investigates the colony failure but it has not ruled out killing more birds this season. Audubon Society of Portland is calling for the permanent end to the senseless slaughter of these birds and a comprehensive, independent investigation of the federal agencies’ actions related to the killing program at East Sand Island.

“The federal agencies recklessly and relentlessly slaughtered these birds without scientific justification, and created conditions under which complete collapse of the largest Double-crested Cormorant colony in the world was a potential outcome,” said Portland Audubon Conservation Director, Bob Sallinger.

“The agencies are now trying to scapegoat eagles for the collapse of the cormorant colony just as they scapegoat cormorants for salmon declines. The agencies have turned East Sand Island into a killing ground and put the birds under tremendous stress. Nobody should be surprised that the colony failed under these conditions. Many groups, including Portland Audubon, raised exactly this concern when they submitted comments on the federal agencies’ cormorant killing plan.”

Audubon Society of Portland is calling for an immediate and permanent end to the federal agencies’ cormorant killing program.

The agencies’ original goal of killing 15 percent of the entire population of Double-crested Cormorants west of the Rocky Mountains would have driven cormorant populations below levels defined as sustainable. The potential loss of the entire East Sand Island Colony

Double-crested Cormorant by Scott Carpenter places Double-crested Cormorant populations in the west at even greater risk and the killing that has already been done by the federal agencies in 2015 and 2016 will significantly reduce the resiliency that cormorant populations will have to recover from a catastrophic event such as what occurred on East Sand Island last week.

The agencies ignored over 200,000 public comments opposing the killing of cormorants, representing more than 99% of the comments they received. It was later discovered in documents, obtained under court order, that the agencies also ignored and hid their own experts’ analysis which determined that killing cormorants would provide no benefit to the salmon it was supposed to protect. In April, a federal court in Washington D.C. found that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cormorant killing program in the Eastern United States, responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of cormorants, broke the law by failing to consider any options other than lethal control and by failing to demonstrate that killing cormorants delivered any appreciable benefits to the fish it was meant to protect. In May, a federal court in Oregon rejected the federal agencies’ Columbia River Salmon Plan, finding that the agencies had failed to address the primary cause of salmon decline, the federal hydropower system, and instead have squandered billions of taxpayer dollars on salmon recovery strategies that are not working. The agencies have lost five times in federal court in the past 20 years, over their ongoing failure to address the dams.

“The agencies have continually ignored science, the public and the law and scapegoated cormorants for salmon declines that are a direct result of the manner in which they operate the dams,” said Sallinger. “This is simply wanton slaughter and it has now put

the entire western population of cormorants at risk. To even consider restarting the killing this season or in the future after a complete colony collapse would be unconscionable.”

Audubon Society of Portland is calling for an independent investigation of the agencies’ activities related to the East Sand Island cormorant population. The agencies have shrouded their cormorant killing activities in secrecy, including ignoring their own experts and hiding a key report from public disclosure, terminating 18-years of independent monitoring of the East Sand Island cormorant colony by the Oregon State University Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Unit just prior to the onset of lethal control, refusing to allow the media or other independent observers to witness their killing program, and establishing a 500 yard exclusion zone around their boats when public interest groups tried to observe the lethal control program. Even as recently as last Tuesday, when conservation and animal welfare groups held a rally to oppose the killing, federal agencies that were already aware of the colony failure, failed to disclose this information and instead explicitly stated their intent to continue killing cormorants.

“These agencies have done everything possible to limit accountability and transparency in this killing program,” said Sallinger.

“The only credible path forward at this point is a completely independent, comprehensive review.”

Audubon Society of Portland, Friends of Animals, Center for Biological Diversity, Animal Legal Defense Fund and Wildlife Center of the North Coast have brought a lawsuit to stop the killing of cormorants in the Columbia River Estuary. They are represented by Earthrise Law Center. The litigation is currently pending.

www.neobn.com www.thegorgebusinessnews.com

Page Page 16 20