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

• Thomas Tedder, founder and CEO of Post Falls holster manufacturer Tedder Industries, has sold a majority share in the manufacturer to a Texas-based investment group. Tedder said he would phase out of the CEO role over the following months and focus on his real estate concerns at his other company, Tedder Properties. Source: Spokane-Kootenai Journal of Business
• Two new urban renewal districts have been proposed in the city of Rathdrum. Amid record growth, Rathdrum’s urban renewal agency has conducted eligibility studies to create two new renewal districts aimed at improving a total of 155 acres worth of lots. Currently, construction on the lots in question is blocked by gas and power lines that create “hurdles” to development, which would be remediated by the proposed renewal projects. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
• Kootenai County’s commissioners are preparing to revisit the controversial new building permit opt-out provisions. The provision, adopted last year, allows builders on unincorporated lots in Kootenai County to opt out of county building codes. The new board of commissioners – two of the three commissioners are newly elected – plans to revisit the opt-out provision, starting with a series of public hearings. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
• North Idaho College was awarded a three-year federal grant worth $675,607. It will use the funds to launch a new NIC Venture Center, which will support the college’s entrepreneurial programs. The Venture Center will feature new educational programming for entrepreneurship, as well as a rapid prototype lab for manufacturing. In 2017, NIC was named Entrepreneurial College of the Year by the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

Openings in Coeur d’Alene

• Terre Coffee and Bakery
• Great Expectations Painting
• Schwartz Law

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

• Regulators in Idaho and Washington put the brakes on a proposed $5.3 billion sale of Avista, the Spokane-headquartered electricity and natural gas utility, to Hydro One, a Canadian company. Avista provides electricity and natural gas to much of northern Idaho and eastern Washington. It is one of the smallest publicly traded utilities in the nation in a consolidating industry. Source: Lewiston Tribune

Nez Perce Tribe

• The Nez Perce Tribe hopes to finalize its purchase of the Clarkston Golf and Country Club soon. “The tribe would purchase substantially all the assets of the club and continue uninterrupted club operations as an 18-hole golf course with clubhouse dining, bar, swimming pool and related amenities,” tribe spokeswoman Kayeloni Scott said in an email to the Lewiston Tribune in January. Source: Lewiston Tribune
• The Chief Joseph Foundation is nearing its fundraising goal for constructing a covered horse arena. The foundation uses the Appaloosa horse breed to teach youth about Nez Perce culture, heritage and traditions through horsemanship skills and equestrian activities. It hopes to begin the $208,000 construction project on a 10,400-square-foot arena between Spalding and Lapwai in February and open it in April. The foundation now serves about 250 kids a year and expects to double the number of kids involved. Source: Lewiston Tribune

 Clearwater County

• Orofino will lose its only pharmacy when Shopko closes its pharmacies as part of its restructuring under Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Shopko Hometown store in Orofino is otherwise expected to remain open. Two other pharmacies are preparing to open in Orofino this spring. Rod Arnzen, owner of Arnzen’s Super Drug in Cottonwood and Arnzen’s Kamiah Drug, plans to open Glenwood Pharmacy on Michigan Avenue in February. Andy Pottenger, an owner of Hells Canyon Pharmacy in Lewiston, expects to open a pharmacy this May in a complex containing Barney’s Harvest Foods and an Idaho state liquor store on U.S. Highway 12. Source: Lewiston Tribune

 Idaho and Lewis Counties

• Kooskia learned Jan. 14 that it will receive a $100,000 Idaho Imminent Threat/Post Disaster grant to repair its wastewater lagoon, damaged in a 4.1-magnitude earthquake in November. The facility also treats wastewater from the city of Stites. Kooskia officials hope to award work by the end of February, with an estimated six-week project to finish repairs by mid-April. Source: Idaho County Free Press
• The Idaho County Commission agreed to fund extending and adding a lane to the boat ramp at Pine Bar on the Salmon River in a cooperative agreement with the Bureau of Land Management. The Pine Bar boat ramp project was included in a BLM project first scoped in 2015, but was not funded last year. Source: Idaho County Free Press

Latah County

• Moscow issued more construction permits for single-family housing units in 2018 than it has in 10 years, while the construction of multi-family units also was higher than normal. Last year, it gave construction permits for 38 single-family dwellings and 96 multi-family units. The city averages 40 new single-family units and 71 multi-family units per year. The city issued permits worth $5.9 million in commercial construction in 2017 and $13.8 million in 2018, well above the average $8.4 million mark. About $10.5 million of the 2018 valuation originated from the Northwest River Supplies expansion project on South Blaine Street. Source: Moscow-Pullman Daily News
• Several major construction projects are expected to start in 2019. Alturas Analytics plans to build a bioanalysis laboratory adjacent to its existing business, doubling its size. Currently, 40 to 45 people work at the location on Alturas Drive in Moscow. Alturas Analytics is a contract research organization that has provided bioanalytical research support in drug discovery and drug development since 2000.
• MOD Pizza plans to open a restaurant at the site of the Moscow Jack in the Box that closed four years ago. Demolition of the old building on West Pullman Road and construction of the new is scheduled to start this spring. Source: Moscow-Pullman Daily News
• Moscow’s Eastside Marketplace will be completely full by spring 2019 with the opening there of a furnishing store, an Indian restaurant and a café. Lavender and Thyme, a floral business, will expand into the former GNC space and open a French-themed café in April. The Indian restaurant Karma will open in February. The former Pizza Hut building across the parking lot will be demolished to make way for a new fast-food restaurant. Model Home Furnishings, which owns stores in Lewiston and Eagle, plans to move into the space vacated by Aaron’s Sale and Lease. Source: Moscow-Pullman Daily News
• The Salvation Army thrift store in Moscow closed in January after 11 years of operation, but officials are hoping to find another location in Moscow to reopen. The organization will continue to provide services to those in need on the Palouse. Last year, 458 people received assistance for utilities, rental, groceries and transportation. Source: Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Nez Perce and Asotin Counties

• Nez Perce County Commissioners approved a five-year, 75 percent property tax exemption on a planned $20 million investment Idaho Forest Group is making to its Lewiston sawmill. The company is adding new equipment that will allow the mill to handle logs as large as 40 inches in diameter. The current large-log line was last upgraded in the 1980s, while the new line will be state-of-the-art. More than 160 people work at the Lewiston mill. Source: Lewiston Tribune
• Vista Outdoor offered early retirement to an unspecified number of Lewiston employees in January. The company has a staff of 1,155 in Lewiston after hitting a peak of almost 1,500 in 2016. After the presidential election, sales of ammunition have dropped precipitately and now remain sluggish. Source Lewiston Tribune
• Ulta, a national chain selling beauty products, is building a 10,242-square-foot store next to T.J. Maxx in Nez Perce Plaza in Lewiston. Kentucky Fried Chicken opened a restaurant at the plaza in December. Source: Lewiston Tribune
• Newberry Square, a new development in a downtown Lewiston building more than a century old, is nearly full following the opening of Sweet Sensations Bakery. Mom & Daughter’s Sign & Home Decor is expected to open there soon. Anchored by Imua Hawaiian Style Restaurant, the square also features Vintage Candy & Toys, a tasting room for Vine 46 Winery and Skalicky’s Vintage Treasures. Source: Lewiston Tribune
• Students pursuing a law degree at Lewis-Clark State College may be able to earn their degree faster because of a new transfer articulation agreement with the University of Idaho. The agreement allows LCSC students who are accepted into UI’s College of Law to take part in the 3+3 Program, which allows undergraduate students to earn a bachelor’s degree and a juris doctor in six years, instead of seven. Under this program, LCSC students who complete the third year of undergraduate study in the pre-law program can begin the first year of the law degree program at UI. That will allow students to simultaneously fulfill their last year of undergraduate studies and complete their first year of law school. Source: Lewiston Tribune
• The Port of Clarkston welcomed a new tenant on Port Drive in December. Green Water Energy — a prime contractor specializing in mechanical, electrical and architectural upgrades for industrial, education and commercial projects — employs about a dozen people. Source: The Port of Clarkston Outlook

 Closures

• Overtime Tavern and Grill on Mill Road in Lewiston closed at the beginning of January after nearly 33 years of being in business.
• The Pullman Shopko is one of the 105 Shopko stores nationwide scheduled to close. It will close April 15. Source: Lewiston Tribune

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

Ada County

• Cottonwood Creek Behavioral Hospital opened Jan. 14 in Meridian. The psychiatric hospital will provide inpatient and outpatient stabilization and treatment of adults experiencing behavioral health or substance disorders. The hospital currently has 72 beds and expects eventually to employ 40 to 50 nurses. Source: Meridian Press
• The Farmstead Corn Maze and Pumpkin Festival is moving from the corner of Eagle and I-84 to Kuna. The 178-acre farm is triple the size of the former site allowing the maze to grow. Maze owners Jim and Hillary Lowe were leasing the former location, but own the new site. Farmstead has grown to a sizable operation requiring a team of managers and more than 200 seasonal employees. Source: Meridian Press
• Idaho Central Credit Union purchased the land formerly occupied by Farmstead Corn Maze in July. On the site, a 52-acre office park, Eagle View Plaza, plans to break ground in the spring of 2019 with a hotel, retail, medical office and apartments. Developer Ball Ventures Ahlquist has proposed the venture in partnership with the credit union. Idaho Central plans to use 12 acres of the site for a five-story, 125,000-square-foot office building. Source: Meridian Press
• Kiwi Shake & Bake opened Dec. 20 on the street level of The Afton condominiums in Boise. The bakery and café serves New Zealand snacks and desserts, including a traditional Kiwi meat pies. It serves a variety of dishes along with coffee, beer and wine. Source: Idaho Statesman
• Kuna City Council approved a special use permit for a new 72,000-square-foot high school to be built on a 60-acre lot at the corner of Linder and Columbia roads. The first phase will occupy 17 acres. About 500 students will attend classes in the new school. The school’s primary focus will be on career technical education, such as for construction, health science and mechanic careers. Source: Kuna Melba News
• Meridian City Council approved the development of Entrata Farms on Franklin Road. The development will consist of 238 residential units in 67 buildings on 18 acres. The buildings will vary in size, with either four, six or eight residential units to a building. Source: Meridian Press
• Olympian Kristin Armstrong and developer Ball Ventures Ahlquist have announced the four locations of the PIVOT Lifestyle + Fitness by KA gyms they are developing. A groundbreaking ceremony took place recently at the first location at Ten Mile Crossing. Other locations include Boise’s Barber Valley, downtown Boise and Eagle View Landing. The facilities will include studios for yoga, training, cycling and general gym space. Source: BoiseDev

Adams County

• Eighth-graders at Meadows Valley School District, based in New Meadows, are building a tiny house, about 200 square feet, to bring attention to the housing shortage in the area. About 74 percent of the homes in the area are second homes or short-term vacation rentals. When completed in early May, the house will be sold at auction. Proceeds from the sale would be used to buy new playground equipment for Dorsey Warr Memorial Park in New Meadows. Students are learning to speak publicly, write grants and study social and economic issues relate to housing problems, as well as construction skills. Source: McCall Star-News

Canyon County

• Boise FOX affiliate KNIN-TV/Fox 9 has a new owner. Gray Television of Atlanta purchased the station from Raycom Media. Channels 6 and 9 will continue to operate from the same building in Nampa and have a shared services agreement that includes newsgathering and other operations. Source: BoiseDev
• Boise-based nonprofit Create Common Good has partnered with Caldwell’s new charter school, Elevate Academy, to expand food service training and job placement programs in the Treasure Valley. Create Common Good provides skills training and job placement programs for people with barriers to employment. It will operate out of Elevate Academy’s commercial kitchen beginning mid-August, just after the new charter school opens. The year-round, public charter school will focus on growing the labor pipeline for technical jobs and industry professionals, and provide skills-based education for students grades 6-12. Create Common Good’s program is not part of Elevate’s curriculum and will only use the school’s facilities. In 2018, the program served about 59 people, and the Canyon County expansion will allow it to assist more. Source: Idaho Press
• Saltzer Medical Group, primarily located in Nampa, is in the process of being purchased by Ball Ventures Alquist (BVA). Saltzer currently has 50 medical providers and between 250 and 300 employees. BVAS anticipates hiring more workers as it grows. Source: Idaho Statesman
• Despite a narrow failure to pass a levy that would have funded a new health science building, College of Western Idaho officials have not given up. The trustees met in January to discuss the next steps and college officials are reaching out to local hospitals and medical providers to see if they’d be willing to promote the college’s campaign. The proposed facility would allow 2,500 more students to take health and science courses. Source: Idaho Press
• Mike Mussell, a Nampa developer, acquired a half-block property in downtown Nampa. Plans are to build several businesses such as a pizzeria and pub to be operated by Brick 29 Bistro and Craft Lounge, a high-end salon, an outdoor amphitheater and possible wedding venue in the old church building. The half-block’s design is inspired by the style of an old French village. Source: Idaho Press
• Rolling H Cycles, a bike shop in downtown Nampa, will be moving to a new location in the spring. The shop purchased a building formerly home to the Whiskey River bar. The owner, Adam Haynes, hopes the move allows the business to grow its staff from 10 to 15 employees. Source: Idaho Press
• Colorado Gardens, a Nampa housing development for renters age 55-plus, opened in January. Colorado Gardens features 50 studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments with rents starting at $650. Colorado Gardens is one mile from grocery stores, a library and the Nampa Senior Center, and is two blocks from a bus stop. Source: Idaho Business Review

Valley County

• Tamarack Resort Holdings took over ownership of Tamarack Resort near Donnelly in November with a fresh vision for a property that opened in 2004. After the financial collapse in 2007, the resort suffered from severe financial problems and many projects were not completed. The Village Plaza — a planned large collection of condominiums, restaurants, lodging and retail shops — was only started. The new owner plans to complete three partially finished condominium buildings with a total of 62 units and an unfinished retail area before the start of the 2019 ski season. It also plans to enhance its all-season appeal. Source: McCall Star-News; Idaho Statesman; Idaho Business Review; KTVB.com.
• More than 90 percent of high school students in Valley and Adams counties plan to move away after graduation, according to a survey commissioned by the West Central Mountains Economic Development Council. One reason could be there are few jobs in the area matching the career goals of the students, the survey found. “This trend…suggests that the area’s current and future workforce may be threatened by an outmigration of young labor and talent,” a report on the survey said. The survey, analyzed by Boise State University’s Idaho Policy Institute, sought to identify the relationship between students’ career desires and employers’ needs. Results showed that more than 60 percent of local entry-level and skilled or technical jobs need employees with customer service skills, which tied for last among skills students are interested in pursuing. Employers also indicated a high demand for those with restaurant, housekeeping and cashier skills, all of which were the least popular among students of the eight skills surveyed. Businesses in the region are experiencing growth, and wages are higher than average, according to the report. Apprenticeship partnerships with organizations like the College of Western Idaho and the Idaho Department of Labor could help businesses attract and retain employees as well as give students incentives to stay local, the report said. Source: McCall Star News
• The West Central Mountains Economic Development Council and Cascade Chamber of Commerce are developing adventure-cycling routes that use Cascade as a hub. The goal is to create four routes of 60 to 180 miles each, starting at Kelly’s Whitewater Park, a safe place to leave cars for a few days. The trails — employing a blend of rural two-lane roads, dirt roads, gravel Forest Service roads and some single tracks — are expected to increase tourism. The economic development council recently hired world-renowned adventure cyclist Jay Petervary, based in Victor, Idaho, to fine-tune the routes. A fifth route that connects Cascade to the Weiser River Trail is under consideration. Source: Idaho Press
• Winter tourism is in full swing in the McCall area. Both ski resorts opened in early December. This year’s opening at Brundage Mountain — located in Adams County but generally accessed from Valley County — was the earliest in eight years. In addition to skiing and snowboarding, Brundage also offers guided snowcat trips on 18,000 acres of backcountry terrain, guided snowmobile excursions and snowmobile rentals. Tamarack hopes to exceed last year’s 85,000 visitors. Source: Idaho Statesman
• The McCall Area Planning and Zoning Commission in November approved plans for a Treasure Valley Transit hub in a downtown McCall building. The Nampa-based transit company plans to spend around $400,000 to remodel a former dentist office on Park Street to serve as a home base for Mountain Community Transit, which operates the free Red Line around the city and the Green Line, which charges riders between McCall and Cascade. The system also provides bus service to Brundage Mountain Resort in the winter. Mountain Community Transit, partly subsidized by the city of McCall and Valley County, has operated in McCall since 2002, has a current annual ridership of around 40,000 and employs 11 people. Source: McCall Star News

Washington County

• Weiser Memorial Hospital unveiled its new CT scanner, one of the fastest in the Treasure Valley. The imaging room previously housed an 8-year-old used machine. It has taken the hospital seven years to get the new scanner. The hospital foundation and community fundraising made the purchase possible. The new machine will allow physicians to get detailed imaging and better diagnostic information to confer with specialists and potential for treating patients locally. Source: Weiser Signal American
• The Weiser Memorial Hospital received a $275,000 grant to help cover the cost of replacing outdated and sometimes leaky pipes. Work began in mid-December with the most urgent repairs – replace all major pipes, main truck lines and valves, which are 60 years old. Phase 2 is less time sensitive, and the board did not take action on that portion. The grants were from Ashgrove Charitable Fund and Sunderland Foundation. The hospital will pay the rest, about $500,000. Source: Weiser Signal American

Valley County

• Jordan-Wilcomb Construction is building a new brew house for the Salmon River Brewery on Railroad Avenue in McCall. The new brew house will be located next to its existing restaurant near the lakefront. Work began in October and is expected to open this summer.  The new brew house will double beer making and provide a rooftop deck with views of Payette Lake, an indoor tasting room and an indoor/outdoor bar. Source: Boise.Dev

Openings

• Habit Burger Grill plans to open on Broadway Avenue in Boise in May or June.
• Ball Venture Alquist opened its new office in Meridian at Ten Mile Crossing.
• Mesa Tacos and Tequila held a soft opening in Nampa on Jan. 22. The new restaurant is located in the space that once was Pearson’s Twice Sold Tales.
• Cafe Yumm! opened in Eagle on Jan. 28. The restaurant specializes in customizable bowls featuring local ingredients.
• Fossil is opening a store in the Boise Towne Square Mall. It will be located on the lower level in the former Gymboree space. Fossil is known for watches, but also sells handbags, wallets, jewelry and other personal accessories.
• The ice cream shop STIL opened a mini-location Jan. 29 inside Chow Public Market & Eatery, a public market at the Boise Spectrum. This is the third location for STIL.
• Big K BBQ Pub Room and Eatery is now open in Garden City.

Closings

• Shopko is closing its stores in the Treasure Valley – two in Boise and one in Nampa. The store on Fairview Avenue will close March 17, the Broadway store will close April 8 and the Nampa store April 15. The closures will affect more than 100 employees.
• Blimpie Subs and Salads at the Boise Towne Square Mall closed on Dec. 31 after serving customers for 29 years.
• PizzaLChik in Boise closed in December following the death of the owner, Brad Breakell.
• Popeyes Louisiana Chicken on Broadway in Boise will close.

Janell.Hyer@labor.idaho.gov, senior economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 332-3570 ext. 2330

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

Regional

• The College of Southern Idaho has requested $14,337,300 for fiscal year 2020 from the Idaho Legislature Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. The budget supports CSI’s popular dual-credit enrollment program, which has been a financial challenge. The program brings in four percent of the college’s revenue, but accounts for more than half of the 12,679 CSI students participating in this popular program. The costs associated with managing the high school/college credited program are higher than the collected revenue, yet the program is a huge benefit to the students and families because of reduced tuition rates. CSI’s budget request is 1.4 percent lower than the budget proposed by Gov. Brad Little of $14,540,000. The legislature appropriated $14,464,000 to CSI for fiscal year 2019. Source: Times-News

Twin Falls County

• Chobani, maker of Greek yogurt, announced a new offering of non-dairy, plant-based products. The new segment will use organic coconut products and natural and non-GMO ingredients. The products will feature a variety of flavors of snack cups and drinks. The manufacturing site near Twin Falls is the world’s largest yogurt plant. According to market researching company Mintel and Lightspeed, 59 percent of yogurt shoppers have bought Greek yogurt over a three-month period according to survey results released in June 2018. Mintel also reports yogurt is an $8.5 billion sector in the United States.  Source:  KMVT News and CNN Business
• North Canyon Medical Center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 18, in Buhl to celebrate its newly constructed 6,000-square-foot clinic. The clinic includes family medicine, orthopedic surgery and general surgery specialists, radiology and lab services. Gooding County residents voted to dissolve the hospital taxing district in May 2018, so the nonprofit can now expand its service area. Source: Times-News
• St. Luke’s West End Clinic held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 30, in Buhl. Its expanded clinic offers family medicine, behavioral health, lab and X-ray services, visiting OB/GYN and cardiology specialists. Source: Times-News

Openings

• Olive Garden restaurant held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce in Twin Falls. The national chain hired 183 out of the almost 650 applicants, according to Jack Winn, general manager. Source: Times-News
• Koto Brewing Co. opened its brewery and restaurant featuring dinner and gourmet pub fare in downtown Twin Falls. 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

Region

• QSR Magazine, which specializes in news affecting quick-service restaurants, ranked the area from Idaho Falls to Pocatello eighth for greatest fast-food growth potential. The top market on the list was Yuma and El Centro, both in Arizona. Eastern Idaho tied with Minnesota cities Rochester, Mason City and Austin, and Florida cities Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota. Source: Idaho State Journal
• The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes have announced an opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting celebration to commemorate the opening of the Shoshone-Bannock Casino Hotel. The new casino is 85,463 square feet and is connected to the west side of the existing Shoshone-Bannock Hotel and Events Center. In addition to the casino floor, there will be an addition to the north side of the events center, 300 new parking spaces, a new bingo hall and a new buffet and lounge. The opening ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 13. Source: Idaho State Journal
• Community and health leaders gathered for the ribbon cutting of Portneuf’s new mammography bus, paid for by the Portneuf Health Trust. The bus, equipped with more than $800,000 worth of the latest 3D technology, does screenings for breast cancer. The bus will travel to serve patients in the various communities of Eastern Idaho. Source: KPVI

Bannock County

• An anonymous landowner donated 0.26 square miles of mule deer winter range in Pocatello to the Sage Brush Steppe Land Trust, ending previous plans of converting the property into a subdivision. The property represents the southern portion of roughly 0.62 square miles the city annexed more than 10 years ago in preparation for a proposed 900-unit residential and commercial development. Source: Idaho State Journal
• Last year was the busiest for the Pocatello Regional Airport in more than 10 years. Passenger numbers totaled around 90,000 customers, which was up 15 percent from the 2017 total of 78,000. Source: KIDK
• Discovery documents show the city of Pocatello collected nearly $28.4 million in combined revenue through illegal taxes and fees charged to municipal service users from fiscal year 2006 through fiscal year 2014. Every day the city delays in repaying its municipal service users, it incurs another $3,000 in interest. The city is considering all options to cover its financial obligation. Source: Idaho State Journal

Bingham County

• Bingham Memorial Hospital hosted a ribbon cutting for its new, 3,500-square-foot geriatric psychiatric unit. New Leaf Geriatric Psychiatric Unit is staffed by 14 full-time medical professionals, specially trained to treat older patients with symptoms due to psychiatric conditions and unique mental health needs, such as mood disorders, anxiety, grief and addiction. The geriatric unit has 10 beds and offers 24-hour nursing care, individual therapy sessions and intensive medication management. Source: East Idaho news

Openings

• New Leaf Geriatric Psychiatric Unit in Blackfoot
• The Milmor Event Room in downtown Blackfoot

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

Region

• The U.S. Department of Energy announced recently that it would close the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment project sometime in 2019 after it finishes its current mission processing the decades-old transuranic waste that is in Idaho now. The plant is located in the desert west of Idaho Falls. About half of the roughly 700 people employed at the plant work in waste treatment, and those jobs will go away sometime this year, although it is expected some of them will transition into other jobs either at Idaho National Laboratory or with cleanup contractor Fluor. The other half work in waste characterization and certification, and they will still have work. Source: Post Register

Bonneville County

• More than a quarter-of-a-million passengers traveled through the Idaho Falls Regional Airport during 2018, according to the most recent numbers compiled by airport personnel. The 320,000 passengers recorded is an increase of more than 30,000 passengers from 2017, reflecting a 10 percent increase over the previous year and the highest totals for the airport for more than a decade. Source: East Idaho News
• Idaho cleanup project contractor Fluor Idaho LLC has launched a Targeted Voluntary Separation Program. The company will accept a maximum of 50 volunteers from its total workforce of 1,600 employees. Those accepted will leave the job on Feb. 18. The program does not include individuals performing work in support of the Advanced Mixed Waste Treatment Project. Work at that project will continue into 2019. Source: KIDK
• Idaho Falls School District 91 board members are asking patrons to renew a $6.8 million supplemental levy. The levy, which has been in place for more than 30 years, has provided critical funding for the district. All eligible voters living within District 91’s boundaries can vote on March 12. Source: East Idaho News

Lemhi County

• The Salmon School District board unanimously approved a proposal to bring a $25.6 million bond before voters in March. The multimillion-dollar bond would fund a facility for elementary and middle school students as well as a special education program for children ages 3 to 5 who now receive those services at an off-campus building. A new facility could house as many as 650 students. Source: Post Register

Openings

• Wendy’s restaurant in Rexburg
• Eagle Rock Crematory in Ammon
• Flat Rock Pizza, Bakery & Grill in Rexburg

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