BRIEFS

CHALLENGE GRANT FOR PORT

DAYTON - The infrastructure is in and the marketing continues.

The Port of Columbia's Blue Mountain Station project received another boost when it was awarded a Challenge Grant of $5,000 by Pacific Power for marketing the project. Port Commission Chairman Gene Warren accepted the check from Pacific Power Regional Community Manager Bill Clemens.

"Now that the Phase 1 infrastructure is in the ground, we are ready to site our first business at Blue Mountain Station," said Jennie Dickinson, manager of the Port of Columbia.

We need the help of our community partners to continue the marketing effort necessary to attract that first business. We are grateful to Pacific Power for continuing to support our project."

Blue Mountain Station will be the world's first ecofriendly artisan natural, organic, and sustainable food processing park.

The Port's marketing effort is focused on creating a brand for the artisan natural and organic products to be processed at the park, attending trade shows and sharing information on the project with specialty foods businesses, creating a connection between regional growers and food processors, and establishing distribution channels.

The first phase of infrastructure, funded by a combination grant/loan package from the Community Economic Revitalization Board, was completed this month. The Western-most eight acres of the project now has water and sewer to six building sites. This also includes roads, parking lots, and an on-site storm water bioswale system.

The grant brings the total Pacific Power has provided in funding for the Blue Mountain Station Project to more than $34,000, including match support for the marketing and feasibility studies, and for the $1,000,000 Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board financial package secured by the Port of Columbia for property acquisition and infrastructure development.

The Port of Columbia has been working on the Blue Mountain Station since it was recommended in a marketing plan in April, 2008. A feasibility study, completed in June, 2009, confirmed the project was feasible and would provide needed economic vitality to Columbia County, and the financial package authorized by CERB in July enabled the purchase of 28 acres of land in late 2009. The project is expected to create 300 jobs once fully built out.

For more information, contact Jennie Dickinson at 509-382-2577 or Bill Clemens at 509-522-7007.

DAYTON BARREL TASTING

DAYTON - The Mortal Vintner will be barrel tasting the 2009 Vintage every Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. or by appointment while supplies last. A tasting fee of $5 will be waived with a purchase of any futures or signing up for their wine club. The 2009 Vintage features three red wines of very limited quantity: Veillantif, a 100 percent Petit Verdot from Double Canyon Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA; Ghost, a delicate and seductive 100 percent Syrah, and Flying Corpse, a unique 100 percent Carmenere from Seven Hills Vineyard in the Walla Walla AVA.