THE DALLES, Ore. The Columbia Gorge may be one of the most beautiful regions of the Pacific Northwest, but as rural people know, scenery doesn’t always translate into prosperity. Forty years ago, logging and aluminum plants were major drivers of the economy in Klickitat and Skamania counties in Washington and Hood River, Wasco and Sherman counties in Oregon. But those days are long gone and the business community has diversified, partly with the assistance of the Mid-Columbia Economic Development District.
The MCEDD (pronounced like “McKedd”) puts its efforts into three buckets, said MCEDD director Jessica Metta: regional coordination, technical assistance and business assistance.