The Hood River City Council has given its approval to a pilot program for free parking in the downtown area Wednesday afternoons starting in January. It’s called Local Business Wednesdays, and Hood River County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kate Schroeder says it is an attempt to change the perception that local residents don’t feel welcome downtown. The free parking would be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. every Wednesday from January until the end of May. Schroeder says downtown businesses will plan special events to coincide with the free parking hours.