Information provided in this article is from professional sources, news releases, weekly and daily newspapers, television and other media.

Northern Idaho
North Central Idaho
Southwestern Idaho
South Central Idaho
Southeastern
Eastern Idaho

NORTHERN IDAHO – Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai & Shoshone counties

Kootenai County

• The Rathdrum City Council approved a request from Avista to change the city’s zoning map in preparation for a possible natural gas power plant. Avista, which owns a 302-acre site in Rathdrum, said it is exploring plans to build a natural gas burning facility to help meet a projected ramp-up in customer demand.
• The North Idaho Outlet Mall, which has been mostly unoccupied for several years, is being rejuvenated and reoccupied. Tedder Properties – the new owner of the mall – will move its manufacturing operations into the southern end of the facility and lease the remaining spaces to retail occupants. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
• Broadband provider Fatbeam announced a $3.2 million donation to the University of Idaho’s Research Park in Post Falls. This will provide access to a fiber network – owned by Fatbeam – and a long-term contract for broadband internet access. Access to fiber is timely, as UI has recently made a push toward computer science, including launching a new cybersecurity lab in the Post Falls research park. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

• Orgill, a major distributor of hardware, lumber and other wholesale products, has acquired an office facility in Post Falls, which will become a new distribution center serving the inland northwest. Orgill officials expect the facility to be operational by the spring of 2017, at which point they anticipate employing more than 120 people, with floor positions paying $16 per hour with benefits. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
• Coeur d’Alene School District is primed to host northern Idaho’s first preschool specifically for hard-of-hearing children. The program will focus on accelerating language development for deaf children, including sign language and spoken language, and to generally help prepare the children for the classroom environment. The program will serve all five northern counties. Each school district will bear responsibility for transporting their hard-of-hearing students to Coeur d’Alene. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

Sam.Wolkenhauer@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 457-8789 ext 4451

NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO – Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis and Nez Perce counties

Region

• Idaho Travel Council awarded six tourism promotion grants in north central Idaho in early August. Grants in Region 2 include $67,000 to Visit Lewis Clark Valley; $64,000 to Moscow Chamber of Commerce; $40,962 to Kamiah Chamber of Commerce; $32,000 to Salmon River Chamber of Commerce in Riggins; $20,000 to North Central Idaho Travel Association; and $17,500 to Orofino Chamber of Commerce. Kamiah partners with other communities in the Upper Clearwater River Corridor – from Kamiah to Lolo and from Lapwai to Elk City – to promote tourism through brochures, the internet, including social media, and technical assistance to tourism related businesses. The grants are funded by a 2 percent travel and convention tax on lodging rooms and private campgrounds in Idaho. Source: Clearwater Progress
• Wheat farmers throughout the region have harvested some of the biggest yields they’ve had in years, but damaged quality and low prices have made the harvest bitter for many farmers. Blaine Jacobson, executive director of the Idaho Wheat Commission, said this is likely the most significant crop disaster that many farmers in the area have ever seen. Record-low temperatures for a few days in mid-June, when wheat kernels were developing, resulting in “falling numbers”–a degradation of starch in wheat kernels, which makes the soft white and club wheat that is grown in the region and sold at premium prices to Japan and other high-end buyers unfit for baking flour. Instead of selling at $4.85 a bushel, degraded wheat may sell as feed grain for $2.50 a bushel or less. Source: Lewiston Tribune

Clearwater County

• Clearwater County’s 85 employees will receive a 6 percent pay increase in 2017, as commissioners pursues their goal of moving wages closer to market rates. Difficulties attracting and retaining law enforcement personnel resulted in the commissioners’ decision to grant them a 9 percent to 11 percent pay raise. Source: Lewiston Tribune

Idaho and Lewis Counties

• Jessaca Austad stepped into the key role for the economic development organization serving Idaho and Lewis counties June 1. As an economic development specialist, Austad works closely with county commissioners, city council members, Idaho Department of Labor and Clearwater Economic Development Association to improve economic conditions. She helps local businesses grow stronger, as well as attracting businesses to the area. Ida-Lew Economic Development has hosted discussions between businesses and school districts about workforce training that have led to efforts to improve professional-technical programs, an annual career fair introducing high school students to job opportunities in the area and create a foundation to build a workforce training center to be used by all the local school districts. Source: Idaho County Free Press
• The cost of clearing the immense landslide that has blocked the only entrance to Elk City since February will be about $3.2 million, more than twice as high as the originally estimated cost. The price rose because there’s about 250,000 tons of rocks, mud and downed trees, instead of the initially estimated 100,000 tons. West Co. of Spokane is the contractor removing the debris and repairing State Highway 14, which is scheduled to re-open by the beginning of September. Source: Lewiston Tribune
• Idaho County’s 125 employees will receive a 1 percent wage raise in the upcoming fiscal year. Source: Idaho County Free Press
• Lewis County’s 35 workers will receive a 3 percent pay raise. This is the second year in a row they will see pay increases after several years of stagnant wages. Source: Lewiston Tribune

 Latah County

• The Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport received two Federal Aviation Administration grants totaling $25 million toward its $119 million expansion project. Over the next several years, the airport will extend and realign the runway. It’s intended to address issues about the proximity of the taxiway to the runway, winter fog and a limited flight approach pattern, which will allow the airport to maintain commercial flight operations in the future. DeAtley Construction, a contractor based in Lewiston, began the first phase in July. Source: Lewiston Tribune
• Latah County plans to give its 150 employees a 4 percent pay hike in 2017. That will be the third consecutive year of raises following four years of no raises. Commissioners budgeted $10,000 to conduct a new salary study to see how Latah County compares to similar counties. Source: Moscow-Pullman Daily News
• Fortune magazine’s July issue named Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories the 19th best place for baby boomers to work. Baby boomers, those 51 to 70 years old, make up 14 percent of Schweitzer’s staff. Schweitzer, which manufactures high-tech equipment that protects power grids, is the largest private employer in southeast Washington and north central Idaho. It employs more than 2,200 in Pullman and about 200 in Lewiston. Source: Lewiston Tribune
• As Brush Creek Creamery moved into its new location on Main Street in Deary, it received five awards for its cheeses at the American Cheese Society Conference in early August in Des Moines, Iowa. Three of the prizes were first place for blue veined cheese, marinated cheese and Brie cheese. Source: Moscow Pullman Daily News
• The Moscow City Council unanimously voted to help with construction of a new Palouse Ice Rink. It will provide $1 million from the city’s Hamilton Fund toward the $3.6 million construction project. The current rink, built 15 years ago, has a three-quarters size sheet of ice covered by a temporary canvas tent. The new rink will feature a full-size sheet of ice housed in a permanent building. The new building will improve the rink’s hockey and figure skating programs and allow the city to sponsor youth hockey tournaments, drawing more visitors to Moscow. Source: Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Nez Perce and Asotin, Washington, Counties

• Lewis-Clark State College’s Small Business Development Center moved from the campus on Normal Hill to Clearwater Hall on Lewiston’s Main Street in July. A recently completed $425,000 construction project divided a cavernous space into three offices and a conference room. The development center serves more than 200 clients a year, providing one-on-one consulting at no cost and workshops for business owners and individuals considering starting a business. The storefront location downtown is expected to increase use of the center. Source: Lewiston Tribune
• Vista Outdoor requested a five-year property tax exemption from Nez Perce County with an estimated value of $2.5 million as an incentive for locating an expansion in Idaho. The company — which spun off from ATK last year — plans to add new equipment and 100 workers over the next three years if it gets the incentives. High demand for ammunition used by handguns and sporting rifles is prompting its expansion plans. If it doesn’t locate the expansion in Lewiston, Vista Outdoor could put the new equipment at its Minnesota ammunition plant, and state economic development agencies in Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, South Dakota, Texas and Utah have expressed interest in the Vista expansion. Vista Outdoor has been approved for a 28 percent tax credit on new state revenue for 14 years from the Idaho Department of Commerce, a benefit valued at $2.89 million. That credit is contingent upon the county approving the exemption and Vista creating at least 50 new jobs with average annual wages greater than Nez Perce County’s average of $37,135. Vista Outdoor became north central Idaho’s largest manufacturer early this summer, after adding 200 workers to its base of 1,200 since the beginning of 2015. Source: Lewiston Tribune

Opening

• Kitchen Counter – a soup, salad and sandwich restaurant on Moscow’s Main Street. Source: Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Kathryn.Tacke@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 799-5000 ext. 3984

SOUTHWESTERN IDAHO – Ada, Adams, Boise, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, Valley & Washington counties

Treasure Valley

• The nation’s three largest grocery store chains have brought online grocery shopping to the Treasure Valley. Boise-based Albertsons unveiled its home-delivery service July 20. The company hired more than 20 employees to staff the service at two of its stores. Fred Meyer, which is part of Cincinnati-based Kroger, is taking orders online or from the Fred Meyer app for next-day curbside pickup. It is working toward adding same-day pickup. Arkansas-based Wal-Mart says customers are taking to its free service that allows shoppers to place an online order for a minimum of $35, then pick it up without leaving their vehicles. Source: Idaho Statesman
• The Boise metropolitan area recorded the second highest construction job growth from June 2015 to June 2016 among the nation’s 358 metro areas, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. The AGC announced Boise’s 19 percent construction growth rate Aug. 2 at the Broadway Bridge construction site in downtown Boise. Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell and the rest of the Treasure Valley collectively added 3,600 construction jobs since June 2015 to reach 22,300 for the first time since 2007. Source: Idaho Business Review
• Five new schools opened in the Treasure Valley. The West Ada School District opened Hillsdale Elementary and Victory Middle School. The Vallivue School District opened Ridgevue High. Melba and Notus both have new elementary schools that replaced their original aging school buildings. Source: Idaho Statesman

Ada County

• AT&T announced plans to hire 175 workers for its AT&T DirecTV call center in. AT&T, which bought DirecTV in 2015, has more than 1,100 employees in Idaho and has hired more than 200 in Boise in 2016. Recently, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers announced it will represent AT&T’s DirecTV employees, including 750 working at the Boise call center. Source: Idaho Statesman
• Maverik, Inc. has plans to construct a service station and convenience store on the corner of Fairview Avenue and Five Mile Road. The 6,856-square-foot convenience store with five fuel islands is expected to open in March or April, with construction starting around November. Source: Idaho Business Review
• Bish’s RV Super Center started construction this week on a new three-story dealership in Meridian. The facility will absorb the Nampa store, which has outgrown its space. When construction is finished in April, Bish’s RV will move its 50 employees from Nampa to Meridian and plans to hire 30 to 40 more people. The 53,375-square-foot building in Meridian will have 22 service bays, compared with eight service bays in Nampa. Source: Idaho Press Tribune
• College of Western Idaho has finalized plans to build a 150,000-square-foot facility on 10 acres in the west end of downtown Boise. The site could then undergo two expansions through the next two decades — creating up to 600,000 square feet of office/classroom space. CWI is planning for a 2018 groundbreaking for the first phase of its permanent Ada County campus. Source: Idaho Business Review
• Developer Gardner Co. has revived a proposal to build a single hotel on Parcel B, a lot between 11th, 13th, Myrtle and Front streets where it had once proposed two hotels. The 175-room hotel would take the shape of a new Hilton Garden Inn prototype, becoming one of the first of its kind in the Northwest. It would be on the lot’s northwest corner, southeast of the junction of 13th and Front streets. There would be other structures on the lot. Gardner also proposed to build a parking garage on the northeast corner, a restaurant on the southeast corner and office building on the southwest corner. The entire project’s expected price tag is around $65 million. Sources: Idaho Statesman, BoiseDev.com
• The Fitch Group has upgraded Boise city’s revenue-refunding bonds and issuer default rating from AA+ to AAA, reflecting the “stability of the city’s revenues despite economic volatility.” Fitch also pointed out that “knowledge-based businesses … are especially prominent among the city’s major employers and have helped attract a highly educated workforce.” Source: Boise Weekly

Canyon County

• WinCo Foods is building a second grocery store in Nampa at the Nampa Gateway Center off the Garrity Boulevard interchange. Construction on the $7.5 million, 85,000-square-foot store has started and the store is expected to open in spring 2017. Nampa will be the second city in Idaho with two WinCo stores; Boise is the first. Source: Idaho Business Review
• Ontario, Oregon-based Nichols Accounting will solidify its Nampa presence by building a new 10,500-square-foot office just west of the Ford Idaho Center and likely relocate the company’s headquarters. Nichols has about 15 employees in Nampa and also Ontario, but CEO Bob Kemble foresees the Nampa office growing to 30 people soon. The building can accommodate 50 employees long-term. Kemble initially intends to lease out 3,000 to 3,500 square feet and house Nichols in about 7,000 square feet. Source: Idaho Business Review
• College of Western Idaho has graduated its first cohort of 19 people from its new law enforcement program. Source: Idaho Press-Tribune
• The city of Caldwell has received $419,000 from a federal Community Development Block Grant. The city will spend much of that money to improve the downtown area and develop low-income housing options. Source: Idaho Press-Tribune

Valley County

• The second phase of The Springs apartments has been completed, adding 36 units of affordable housing to the McCall market. Rents vary according to size, with the least expensive studio apartments costing $405 a month and the most expensive three-bedroom unit running at $925 per month. Optum Idaho, a health care company that manages outpatient benefits for Medicaid members and the state of Idaho, was the primary investor in The Springs’ second phase, putting up $5.5 million of the project’s $7.2 million total cost. Other contributors included the Idaho Housing and Finance Association and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Valley County donated the land. Source: Idaho Statesman and McCall Star-News
• U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill has ruled that the Payette National Forest violated federal law by approving a plan to allow bulldozers, dump trucks and drilling rigs on a mining claim inside the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. The Golden Hand Mine exploration would have allowed the American Independence Mines and Minerals Company to make 571 truck trips into the wilderness area. AIMMCO would have also used dump trucks, bulldozers and drilling rigs to open roads, clear drill pads and excavate trenches within the wilderness. The Golden Hand mining claims are located on about 300 acres one mile inside the Frank Church wilderness 19 miles north of Yellow Pine. Source: McCall Star-News

Openings

• Manfred’s, a take-out eatery and catering business on Front Street in downtown Boise
• Denidav, a walk-in fast casual restaurant, behind St. Luke’s Meridian Medical Center in Meridian
• Maximus Inc., an employment and training office in Boise
• Boise Hot Yoga on State Street in Boise
• Sarah’s Bagel Co. in the Meridian Marketplace on Meridian Road.
• S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Office in Caldwell
• Walmart Neighborhood Market in Caldwell
• Taco John’s in Meridian
• Capital Educators Credit in Nampa

Closings

• Five Hastings stores across the Treasure Valley
• Flip Flop Shops store in the Boise Town Square Mall
• Tom Sweeney’s Dutch Oven Café on Orchard Street in Boise

Ethan.Mansfield@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 332-3570 ext. 3455

SOUTH CENTRAL IDAHO – Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka and Twin Falls counties

Blaine County

• The College of Southern Idaho has started a new apprenticeship program for plumbers, responding to the industry concern that many skilled tradesman left the industry during the Great Recession when construction employment plummeted and residential building was nearly non-existent. Plumbing apprentices will work for a plumbing company during the day completing 8,000 hours on the job over five years while they also attend 144 classroom hours per year. Enrollment at the Blaine County satellite campus grew by 20 percent last year. Source:  Idaho Mountain Express
• Camp Rainbow Gold, an accredited camp since 2002, has found a piece of property to buy between Hailey and Ketchum. The purchase would allow for a camp design that meets the needs of the kids with cancer and their families and the camp to operate beyond its current summer season only program. Long-term plans call for winter activities after five years. The organization intends to start a campaign to raise an estimated $25 million for property acquisition and construction costs of the camp. Source: Idaho Mountain Express
• The ‘drinkable yogurt’ product “Yojito” submitted by Cornell University students took the prize at the Idaho Milk Processors Association meeting held in Sun Valley for the 40^th year.  The University of Idaho partnered with Washington State University to create “Custard Delights” a refrigerated crème brulee product that came in second. Third place went to Brigham Young University for its high-protein gnocchi pasta. The contestants were tasked with creating a new product containing at least 51 percent dairy ingredients. Source: Idaho Mountain Express
• The Killebrew-Thompson Golf Tournament that attracts celebrities to Sun Valley in a fund raising event for cancer research recently celebrated its 40^th annual tournament. A goal of $1 million was set for this year’s event, to beat the 2015 record $950,000. Final tally was not available at publication time. The tournament was started by baseball hall of famer and Idaho native Harmon Killebrew who wanted to raise money for cancer research and treatment when his fellow baseball player and friend, Danny Thompson, was diagnosed with leukemia. Celebrities that participate in a full weekend that includes the tournament, a grand barbecue and a concert. Source: Idaho Mountain Express

Gooding County

• The Alturas Wine Alliance is seeking an American Viticulture Area (AVA) designation from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. The proposed region encompasses 41,732 acres of Elmore, Gooding, Jerome and Twin Falls counties along an area of the Snake River Plain between the cities of Buhl and Hammett. It includes five wineries and eight vineyards. The leader of the foundling group, Marguerite Janes of Thousand Springs Winery, said the area is unique from southwestern Idaho, with different geology, elevation, soils and warmer temperatures. Source: Times-News

Jerome County

• Jerome High School held an open house and dedication ceremony marking the completion of the first phase of the school remodel which includes a second gymnasium, new classrooms and a new cafeteria and administrative office. Renovations to the auditorium and the parking lot are also part of the improvements. When complete, the school district will have spent almost $18.5 million on upgrades while the residual of the $24 million bond, voter approved in 2014, will be invested in 11 new classrooms at the elementary schools and eight new classrooms at the middle school.  Source: Idaho Mountain Express

Twin Falls County

• The annual summer science camp for kindergarteners – seventh-graders carried the STEM Olympics theme this year, emphasizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The College of Southern Idaho has sponsored the camp for more than a decade with 132 kids enrolling this year. Source: Times-News

Openings

• Red Robin celebrated a grand opening in Twin Falls hiring an estimated 100 part- and full-time workers.
• Pillar Falls Elementary and Rock Creek Elementary opened new doors to new students. So far this year, the Twin Falls School District has hired approximately 14 new teachers to handle the growth in numbers of elementary and secondary students. Source:  Twin Falls School District
• Clif Bar hosted its grand opening encouraging attendees to cycle or carpool to the event, which included product giveaways, tasting of Clif Bar’s wine label “Velo Vino,” a kids’ climbing wall and bounce house, while Clif Bar’s Grove Valve Orchestra played for the crowd. The company reported it officially started production on June 14 with approximately 214 employees. Source: Times News

Closure

• Hastings has announced it will close its store in Twin Falls following a liquidation of stores nationwide. This follows a Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection filing in mid-June. Source: Times-News

Jan.Roeser@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 735-2500 ext 3639

SOUTHEASTERN IDAHO – Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Caribou, Franklin, Oneida & Power counties

Bannock County

• VA Metals LLP of India has acquired the now-defunct Hoku manufacturing plant assets located in the northwest corner of Pocatello. The plant cost $700 million to build but never became operational. After Hoku declared bankruptcy in 2013, JH Kelly bought the plant for a purchase price of $8.3 million. The transaction details between JH Kelly and VA Metals on this new acquisition are as yet undisclosed. Source: Idaho State Journal
• Idaho State University officials are preparing for a reduction in student enrollment this fall. According to a “snapshot report” distributed to budget and enrollment staff at ISU, the reduction could place total fall university enrollment below 9,500 and reduce revenues from tuition and student fees by about $5.2 million. Source: Idaho State Journal
• The Bureau of Land Management, in partnership with The Conservation Fund and landowners, has permanently protected 400 acres within Blackfoot River Special Recreation Management Area. Thanks to $900,000 in funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the conservation of this property will enhance public access to the area’s high quality recreational opportunities, such as fishing, camping, hunting and boating. Source: Bureau of Land Management

Bingham County

• Cedar Creek Wind LLC has filed an application to use approximately 679 acres of Diamond Ridge Ranch for constructing up to 11 wind turbines. The land is adjacent to project phases 1 and 2 which have already been approved. This project is anticipated to create 80 to 100 jobs during the construction phase with eight to 10 permanent jobs for all three phases. A public hearing will be held Sept. 14. Source: The Shelley Pioneer
• Ground preparation and construction has begun for Aberdeen School District’s new practice gym and vocational center. Source: The Aberdeen Times
• The mayors of Bingham County worked together and raised enough money, through a dinner and auction, to award $20,000 in scholarships and donate $5,000 to the Bingham Community Foundation for the scholarship endowment fund. Source: The Morning News

Caribou County

• The Caribou County Commission has approved a conditional use permit for Agrium’s Conda operations to develop its Rasmussen Valley Mine for phosphate ore under a federal lease. Agrium started permitting the mine in 2010, which will cost about $4 million. Source: Caribou County Sun
• Employees from the Soda Springs Monsanto facility recommended the Caribou County Senior Center to receive a $5,940 grant from the Monsanto Fund’s 2016 site grant initiative. Funds from this grant will pay for the replacement of two hot water heaters as well as pay mileage reimbursement for Meals-on-Wheels drivers. Source: Caribou County Sun

Oneida County

• Oneida County Commissioners approved a tentative budget for fiscal year 2016/2017 for $5,982,130.38. The budget is up $641,963.43 from the 2015/2016 budget. Source: The Idaho Enterprise

Openings

• Chipotle Mexican Grill in Chubbuck
• Noodles and Company in Chubbuck

Esther.Eke@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 236-6710 ext. 4331

EASTERN IDAHO – Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison & Teton counties

Bonneville County

• Crews working on the new Bonneville Joint School District 93 high school have broken ground after spending weeks preparing this construction lot for this $63.5 million dollar project.The 250,000-square-foot school should be open in time for the 2018-19 school year. The school was designed to accommodate more advanced technology as the modern classroom becomes an increasingly digitized space. Source: Post Register

Madison County

• Two new restaurants are set to open late summer or early fall in Rexburg. Sonic is scheduled to open by the end of August and includes a play place for children. It is the first Sonic to offer this feature. Panda Express is slated to open this fall in Rexburg as well. Source: Rexburg Standard Journal
• Construction continues on the new Rexburg Motel 6, which is expected to open late this year or early 2017. Source: Rexburg Standard Journal
• Brigham Young University-Idaho is putting in a mixed-use field that is being built for intramural sports such as soccer, lacrosse and football. According to public relations manager Brett Crandall, the university has seen an increase in demand for a place to play games of these types. Work on the field started in June and is expected to finish in October, shortly after the start of the fall semester. Source: Rexburg Standard Journal
• Building permits have been issued for several new housing complexes, which are all in various stages of development, including Carlow Senior Apartments, Providence Square Apartments, The Towers 2, Homestead Assisted Living, Sweetwater Housing 4-plex, Paddington Place Apartments (several buildings), Hemming Cedars II (two buildings and a parking garage), DP Beck Apartments (several buildings), The Cottages (several buildings), The Roost, Madison Park Apartments Clubhouse and Campus Courtyard (several buildings).  Source: Rexburg Standard Journal
• ProPeat Carbon Fertilizer, which is expected to be up and running in Sugar City by mid-September, will be the first of its kind in North America. Owners John Pocock and Kelton Larsen said the formula for natural, slow-release fertilizer originated in South Africa. Ogden said there are plans to build other ProPeat facilities in the country. The 50,000-square-foot facility is estimated to cost $5.5 million. The company will add at least 25-30 jobs to the community. Source: Rexburg Standard Journal
• Madison Memorial Hospital officials announced a new affiliation with the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah. The agreement, which formalizes a long tradition of collaboration between the two entities, sets the stage for Madison Memorial to provide improved patient access to cancer specialties including clinical trials and other research efforts. Madison Memorial Hospital is a 69-bed, full-service medical facility. Source: Rexburg Standard Journal

Fremont County

• The new Maverick received its building permit on Feb. 29 and underwent its first inspection June 6. The store hosted its grand opening Aug. 3. This is Fremont County’s only business permit for 2016 so far. Source: Post Register

Jefferson County

• The Rigby City Council decided to move forward with two separate Local Improvement Districts. By creating these districts the city can share the financial burden of improvements with the property owners directly benefiting from the repairs. Source: Jefferson Star

Openings:

• A Street Soup Market opened in Idaho Falls across from the Colonial Theater
• Battle Zone, a Nerf-focused family fun center opened in Ammon

Hope.Morrow@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 525-7268 ext. 4340