Information provided in these news updates 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

Region

• Labor demand in northern Idaho remains robust, with elevated levels of unfilled jobs. All told, there were 2,292 job postings in northern Idaho in June 2023 – according to data from the Conference Board – of which 1,869 were posted in Kootenai County. The most in-demand occupations were laborers, freight, stock and material movers. These were followed by registered nurses and a variety of high-turnover and common service sector positions.

Bonner County

• Alterra Mountain Company, a Denver based hospitality company, has agreed to purchase ski operations at Schweitzer. MKM Trust LLC will retain ownership of non-ski operations and real estate. They will also remain in control of daily operations and capital improvement projects. Source: Journal of Business

Kootenai County

• Northwest Specialty Hospital began construction on a new ambulatory surgery center adjacent to its main Post Falls campus. The 9,600-square-foot facility will be used for outpatient procedures and will open in 2024. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
• A bevy of commercial complexes are now under construction in west Post Falls near Stateline. Future tenants will include Circle K, Napa Auto Parts, Wendy’s, The Joint Chiropractic, The Man Shop, Gesa Credit Union, Nutex, Post Falls Emergency Hospital, Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen, Dutch Bros. Coffee, Taco Bell and Thai Bamboo. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press

Openings

Coeur d’Alene:

• CDA Gourmet
• Indigo Urgent Care
• Toll Brothers
• Gentleman Sausages
• Our Thai House
• Nurse Next Door
• Ellie Mental Health
• Float Swim Academy
• Simple Elegance Idaho
• Inland Northwest Land Conservancy
• Chip Cookies

Other locations

• Bodytech (Hayden)
• Coeur Climbing Co. (Post Falls)

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

• Lewiston television station KLEW-TV has shifted its newscasts to KBOI in Boise. The decision followed staff departures at the station, which turned over broadcasting temporarily to KEPR in Pasco in early June. Since 2017, the Federal Communications Commission has not required broadcast station groups to maintain a physical presence in their primary local coverage area. Sinclair Broadcasting, which owns KBOI and KEPR, acquired KLEW in 2013. The group’s 2022 local KLEW employment was down 40% compared with 2017. Source: Lewiston Tribune

Nez Perce County

• Les Schwab’s downtown Lewiston location is completing a significant renovation that will expand four bays, add enclosed garage doors and incorporate a heating system to allow more employees to work out of the weather. The projects are expected to be completed in October 2023. Source: Lewiston Tribune
• Lewis-Clark State College (LC State) has signed a Transfer Articulation Agreement with Blue Mountain Community College (BMCC) of Pendleton, Oregon. This agreement will grant BMCC associate degree graduates admission to LC State as juniors into a bachelor’s degree program. Select programs such as education, nursing and social work will continue to require separate application processes and admissions. LC State currently has associate to bachelor’s Transfer Articulation Agreements with community colleges throughout Idaho and eastern Washington. LC State fall classes begin Aug. 21 with applications accepted through Aug. 8. Source: Big Country News
• Lewiston experienced a 50-year rain event that dumped almost ¾ of an inch or rain within 30 minutes at the Nez Perce County Airport. Stormwater drains were unable to keep up resulting in high water, flooding, asphalt buckling, sinkholes and heavy sediment deposits on many local roads and highways. Due to the severity of infrastructure damage from the flooding, Lewiston’s mayor declared a seven-day local disaster emergency. Source: Lewiston Tribune, City of Lewiston
• After a two-year construction period, the new Cherrylane Bridge between Lewiston and Orofino is open to two-way traffic with widened bike shoulders. The previous 100-year=old bridge built in 1919 was only wide enough for one vehicle to cross at a time and is currently being dismantled. Construction was mostly funded by a $15 million federal grant awarded in 2018. Source: Clearwater Tribune, Idaho Transportation Department

Idaho County

• Inland Title and Escrow in Grangeville was remodeling during June but remained open for business. Source: Idaho County Free Press
• North Star Phoenix is a new nonprofit volunteer organization offering assistance to Grangeville’s senior community and people with disabilities. Volunteers may be able to pick up items from out of town, provide online shopping assistance, shovel snow, move heavy objects and complete minor landscaping projects for area seniors. Source: North Star Phoenix
• Clearwater Valley High School installed new outdoor lights at its sports fields to replace lighting that was no longer adequate or safe for nighttime events. Source: Clearwater Progress
• The Lewis-Clark Valley Healthcare Foundation awarded grants of $10,000 each to Tahoe QRU (quick response unit) of Kooskia for its operations and Elk City Ambulance for a LUCAS 3.1 chest compression system. Source: Idaho County Free Press

Latah County

• Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) awarded a $3 million drinking water construction loan to Hoo Doo Harvard Water and Sewer District. The district’s only water well failed in 2021 following severe drought conditions, and bulk water is currently still brought into the community by truck. Funds will go towards planning/review, two new wells, a well house, new water storage facilities and replacement meters at the main transmission line. The project is under the supervision of Mountain Waterworks. Source: Idaho DEQ, Lewiston Tribune
• Latah County plans to open its new DMV office building on Blaine Street in Moscow by the end of July. The former bank building will provide additional space, extra parking and access to a two way street. Source: Moscow-Pullman Daily News
• Effective Oct. 1, Latah County is transitioning its solid waste collection, recycling and bulky waste franchise contract from Inland North Waste to Sunshine Disposal and Recycling for an initial five year term. Inland North Waste (formerly Latah Sanitation) will continue providing services within the city of Moscow through contract expiration in 2035. Source: Latah County Commissioners

Clearwater County

• Recent developments in Orofino include plans for an evening farmer’s market on Johnson Avenue from 4 – 7 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month, completion of a new bike park near the existing skate park on Dunlap, new bathrooms at Champion Park and excavation/gravel in progress for the firing range. Source: Clearwater Tribune
• Clearwater Memorial Public Library in Orofino celebrated its expansion with a grand opening on June 14. The recent addition doubled the library’s footprint. Source: Clearwater Tribune

Lewis County

• The Only Store, a grocery store in the city of Nezperce, was selected as one of five Idaho Small Businesses of the Month for June 2023. Source: Big Country News

Openings

• Tapped – Taphouse and Kitchen gastropub opened its new Lewiston location in addition to its original Moscow location. Source: The Lewiston Tribune
• Art Uncorked moved to a new location in Lewiston.
• Hammer Down River Excursions opened a new coffee shop in White Bird named 1906 Brews. Source: Idaho County Free Press
• Silos and Social coffee house opened in one of Moscow’s downtown grain silos in the last quarter of 2022.

Closing

• Eden Salon and Spa in Lewiston.

Lisa.Grigg@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 799-5000, ext. 3849

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

Region

The federal government paid Idaho counties for the land it owns and its ensuing lack of opportunity to collect taxes from private ownership. Southwestern Idaho collected about one-fourth of the total. Although Elmore County, home to Mountain Home Air Force Base, collected the largest payment in lieu of taxes, its acres owned by federal entities was smaller than five other counties: Idaho County (4,531,923), Owyhee County (3,628,337), Custer County (2,935,283), Lemhi County (2,642,087) and Valley County (2,048,834).

• The housing market in the region continues to be in a slump with prices and sales falling from May 2022 to May 2023. The inventory has increased in all but Ada, Boise and Canyon counties in the current period versus last year. The time taken to sell has also increased with Adams County as the lone exception. Source: Intermountain Multiple Listing Services

Ada County

• After three days of public testimony, Boise City Council approved a zoning code rewrite the city has called a modern zoning code. It is the first major revision since 1966. Source: KTVB News

Boise County

• The Idaho Transportation Department is constructing a wildlife overpass on Highway 21 called the Cervidae Peak Wildlife Overpass and is scheduled for completion this October. Construction will limit speed through the area aided with a two-lane bypass road. The overpass will lessen the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions while maintaining access to habitat for larger animals. Source: KTVB News

Canyon County

• The state of Idaho agreed to pay $1.2 million and allow DisAbility Rights Idaho to monitor treatment of residents at the Southwest Idaho Treatment Center in Nampa. The facility is operated by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and provides treatment to residents with developmental disabilities who are vulnerable and unable to live independently. Source: Idaho Capital Sun

Owyhee County

• Highway 78 was closed for a couple of days in mid-June due to a torrential rainstorm. The road starts in Marsing, heads south to Murphy and eventually reaches Grand View. The extra precipitation turned a dry creek bed into a roaring river that flowed across the highway. The lack of access necessitated the closure of the Owyhee County Courthouse and the Owyhee County Historical Museum. Source: KTVB News

High school graduation counts:

• Marsing High School handed out an estimated 42 diplomas to its graduating seniors.
• Homedale High School graduated 87 seniors, with more than a quarter of the class graduating with a 3.7 grade point average or higher.
• Rimrock High School celebrated the graduation of 22 seniors in 2023.
  Source: The Owyhee Avalanche

• In June, the city of Grand View was awarded $2.5 million for wastewater improvements from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).  The construction grant will pay for installing a total containment lagoon, optimizing Cell #1, relining Cell #2, improving dike and flood resiliency, and improving the collection system and lift main. This followed a grant of $1,574,160 to rehabilitate a municipal drinking water well earlier in the year.  Funding for these was provided through the federal American Rescue Plan Act. In addition, the city received a low-interest loan of $945,648 from DEQ’s state revolving fund I towards the rehabilitation of its wastewater system. Interest terms of 1.5% over 30 years is estimated to save the small municipality over a half million dollars. Source: The Owyhee Avalanche
•  The Owyhee County Rodeo has been sanctioned as a Professional Cowboys Rodeo Association (PCRA) event this year. Professional rodeo competitors will be more likely to participate as it will not conflict with other PCRA events. Winnings are counted toward the total awards that determine who competes in Las Vegas at the national event. Source: The Owyhee Avalanche

Valley County

• Tamarack Resort closed its hill to summer activities for a couple of days in June after receiving over six inches of snow. Tamarack offers such activities as mountain biking and hiking in the summer. Source: Powder.com

Openings

• St. Luke’s McCall held an open house prior to its official opening in July. The two-story, 65,000-square-foot facility has been in the makings for almost a decade. Emergency room visits have grown from 4,400 in 2015 to 7,100 in 2022. The pandemic caused construction costs to soar after builders broke ground in the summer of 2019. The $62 million price tag is about $20 million over the original projected budget. St. Luke’s McCall Foundation raised over $5.6 million toward the project with $1.8 million derived from grants and $3.8 million from donations. There are 15 inpatient rooms with teleconference equipment and remote monitoring equipment for ease of telehealth sessions with Boise specialists. The new labor and delivery rooms are equipped with specialized equipment. The laboratory has near tripled in size to accommodate the rise in lab tests from 48,000 in 2015 to 85,000 in 2022. The old hospital will house support services such as the cafeteria, warehousing, environmental linen service, IT and volunteer services, etc. The oldest portion of the former hospital from 1956 will be razed and turned into surface parking. Source: The Star-News
• Idaho Central Credit Union opened two new branches in the region — one in south Boise and the other in Fruitland. The newest branches are integrating energy efficiency with LED lighting, a smart HVAC system, a well-insulated envelope design and incorporating natural light. Source: Idaho Business Review
• SEA Crab House opened in the downtown space formerly occupied by Flatbread Pizza. The company has similar restaurants in Bend, Beaverton and Astoria, all in Oregon, and one in in Pike’s Marketplace in Seattle. Source: Idaho Statesman
• Boise Brewing expanded its downtown brewery to include a new restaurant. With the new indoor space and patio seating, capacity is at 250. Source: Idaho Statesman

Closings

• Alforex Seeds, owned by Corteva Agriscience, is closing its alfalfa seed production plant in Parma at the end of June. The company has had multiple owners over its decades in operation. Activities such as coating, treating and bagging of alfalfa seed will continue at its Dysart, Iowa, plant and its Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada plant for 2024. Source: The Owyhee Avalanche
• The Symposium, a long-standing bar in Boise, closed its doors in June. The future of the site has not been released. Source: Idaho Statesman

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

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

Blaine County

• The city of Bellevue has been awarded $3.3 million by the Department of Environmental Quality to improve the city’s water system. The funding will cover 34% of the estimated cost to replace and relocate a water line from a spring source in Muldoon Canyon. The grant will help the city move forward with planning and design as they secure more funding for the project. Source: Idaho Mountain Express
• The Blaine County School District and the Advocates for Real Community Housing Trust are working together on plans to construct up to five rental units for public school employees in Hailey. Preliminary plans include four three-bedroom, two-story apartments ranging from 1,370 square feet to 1,410 square feet and a detached studio at 650 square feet. The school district would act as the landlord and limit rent to 30% of employee’s adjusted gross income. Source: Idaho Mountain Express

 Gooding County

• The Walker Sober Living House has opened in Gooding. The center is a place that gives people in early recovery a place to gain behavioral life skills in addition to financial skills and community service opportunities. Currently the center can house six women and six men at a time. Source: KMVT

Twin Falls County

• Mountain Rides, a non-emergency medical transport route from Sun Valley to Twin Falls has returned after being closed for three months due to staffing shortages. The on-demand service is available Monday through Friday though reservations need to be made 72 hours in advance. The service is free, paid for by federal grants and the St. Luke’s Wood River Foundation. Source: KMVT
• Amalgamated Sugar is opening two new buildings —one to house administrative and central laboratory staff, and another across the street to be completed next month with the goal of expanding the company’s research center. The new lab is three times as large as the previous lab, allowing for increased testing and quality checks for the sugar factory. About 50 employees will work from the office building. Another building o Orchard Drive will provide additional room for Amalgamated’s research company – Amalgamated Research LLC, or Ari. It develops technologies for high-efficiency separation, mixing and fluid distribution and collection Its systems are installed in more than 20 countries. Source: Times-News

Openings

• DAP Books – Twin Falls

Seth.Harrington@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 735-2500 ext. 3062

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

Region

• Labor force estimates for May 2023 from the Idaho Department of Labor’s Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program showed employment and unemployment both increased in the seven-county southeastern region. Seasonally adjusted, labor force participants increased by 432 from April according to May’s preliminary estimates. An additional 99 people were employed and 33 more were unemployed from April. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose to 2.9%, 0.3 percentage points higher than it was one year prior.

• With the sunsetting of Lightcast’s Labor insight tool and updates to Conference Board’s Help Wanted Online (HWOL) methodology, there is a notable discontinuity between last month’s reported online job posting numbers. However, revisions to the past numbers are available to allow month-over-month and year-over-year comparisons with the new time series.
• In May 2023 there were 2,087 unique job postings in the southeastern Idaho labor market area, up from 1,993 the prior month and down from 2,248 the previous May. The number of competing employers posting jobs online last month was 403, up from 376 the previous month and up from 332 one year ago. The median posting duration stood at 47 days, down from 54 days in April and up from 32 days in May 2022.

• Health care practitioners and technical occupations comprised the largest occupational family by number of unique postings and were up 125% from a year ago. Management, sales and related, and transportation and material moving occupations were the next largest groups but were down year-over-year in terms of the number of postings.

• Retail trade jumped to the top of the list of industries by job postings with 259 in May 2023, up from 232 one year prior. Health care and social assistance and manufacturing came in at a close second and third, respectively. Job postings in health care and social assistance were up year-over-year but were down in manufacturing. A majority of all job postings remained in service-producing industries.

• Lightcast’s data from the Conference Board indicates the hardest-to-fill jobs were in the business and financial operations occupations with a median 60-day posting duration. Transportation and material moving occupations came in a close second at 59 days median duration while building and grounds cleaning and maintenance as well as protective service occupations were tied for third at 56 days.
• The snow-filled winter and wet spring have helped pull southeastern Idaho out of a multi-year drought, with only a thin sliver of eastern Caribou and Bear Lake counties classified as being in an Abnormally Dry state and the three-month outlook looking to remain drought-free. However, the warm-up and resulting snowmelt have proved to be difficult for many parts of the region, with parts of Bannock, Bear Lake and Franklin counties experiencing considerable flooding. Median summer streamflow forecasts for the Portneuf and Bear Lake rivers both exceed 200% of their historic levels. Source: U.S. Drought Monitor, Idaho NRCS Snow Survey Program
• Idaho State University (ISU) President Kevin Satterlee announced his plans to retire at the end of the calendar year. Satterlee became President of ISU in 2018 after a long career at Boise State University. During his leadership at ISU, he oversaw campus investments in Davis Field and Holt arena as well as student housing; the completion of the ICCU Bengal Alumni Center; increasing enrollment and retention; as well as improving relations between faculty and the school administration. Source: Idaho State Journal
• Multiple farmer markets have opened for the spring and summer season across southeastern Idaho including the Portneuf Valley Farmers Market in Pocatello, Chubbuck Market and Blackfoot Farmers Market. Source: Idaho State Journal

Bannock County

• The city of Pocatello has been awarded $250,000 from the Children Pedestrian Safety Program administered by the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council to assist with improvements to the Hawthorne Road and Jensen Street intersection. Source: Idaho State Journal
• The new town square, Lookout Point, had its grand opening in Historic Downtown Pocatello and has now hosted the weekly farmers market on Saturdays and Live @ 5 on Wednesdays. Source: Idaho State Journal
• The Marsh Valley School District board voted to rearrange district staff to keep Lava Elementary School in Lava Hot Springs open. This comes a month after earlier discussions about closing the school due to declining enrollment and rising costs of operations. Source: Idaho State Journal
• Mountain View Event Center plans to install an indoor turf facility on Pocatello’s north side. The more than 30,000-square-foot facility will provide field sports teams an opportunity for year-round training and practice. The groundbreaking is planned for spring 2024 with completion by spring 2025. Source: Idaho State Journal
• Morton Buildings held a ribbon cutting for its new 67,428-square-foot manufacturing facility next to the Pocatello Regional Airport. The plant currently employs 30 workers from the surrounding community and $5 million in materials and assets. Source: Idaho State Journal
• The Pocatello City Council approved $1 million of its federal American Rescue Plan Act funds to go toward planning for and installing a new waterslide at Ross Park in the city’s southside. The previous slide was closed for safety concerns in 2020 and was demolished earlier this year. Source: Idaho State Journal

Bingham County

• A groundbreaking ceremony took place for a new Wyndham Garden Hotel near the state fairgrounds in Blackfoot. The 110-room, 62,000-square-foot hotel will include a pool, fitness center and conference room as well as provide an anchor for future development in its vicinity. Completion is expected summer of 2024. Source: Idaho State Journal

Caribou County

• Due to heavy snowmelt from this past winter’s ample snowpack, officials had to divert water from the Chesterfield Reservoir to avoid further erosion underneath a spillway of the Portneuf Dam. Engineers have reinforced the spillway but continue to closely monitor the situation. Source: Idaho State Journal, KIFI Local News 8

Power County

• Lamb Weston near American Falls is nearing completion of its new $415 million, 350 million pound annual capacity French fry processing line. The company is currently hiring for 135 jobs to support operation of the new line and will scale up employment to more than 700 once the line is fully up and running. Source: The Power County Press

Matthew.Paskash@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 236-6710 ext. 4249

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

Region

• There were an estimated 1,374 job postings in the eastern Idaho region for May 2023, according to the Conference Board’s Help Wanted Online data indicator. This is an increase in postings from the revision of 1,128 (18%) the prior month and a decrease from 1,786 (-23%) year-over-year.
• Registered nurses are still in the lead of top occupations in the region with active job postings. The top half of in-demand occupations for May remained unchanged from April. The high demand for retail supervisors, tractor-trailer drivers and wholesale/manufacturing reps carried over. Cashiers, electrical engineers and food service managers were no longer on the list in May. Merchandise displayers, stockers/order fillers and software developers were new in-demand occupations. Job demand from a postings perspective did not decline in May for any occupations listed. All other carry-over occupations from April reported increases in job postings.

• Professional, scientific and technical services overtook retail and trade for the top industry by job postings in eastern Idaho in May. Educational services, transportation and warehousing, and construction emerged as top job posting industries. There was an increase in industry job postings for professional, scientific and technical services (47%), but a decrease in health care and social assistance (-30%). The other services industry emerged as new in the May job posting rankings.

• May data from the Conference Board denotes the hardest-to-fill job postings by job title in eastern Idaho in terms of – time to fill and multiple job postings. These include flight nurses, general laborers, retail team members, assistant managers, nurses and delivery drivers. Top job demand challenges in May by occupational family were health care practitioners/technical, sales and related and transportation/material moving. All job titles in May were new hard-to-fill job postings not previously on the top 10 list last month.

• To support research and development activities at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), significant investments have been made in infrastructure development. Plans for the construction of advanced research facilities, laboratories, and testing sites have increased the demand for construction companies as well as contractors in eastern Idaho. INL was granted $150 million through the Inflation Reduction Act for construction projects. Their need is for both a permanent and temporary construction workforce. INL experiences fluctuations in the number of construction contractors, ranging from 400 to 800 at any given time throughout the year. The demand for office space, manufacturing facilities and housing for employees has spurred commercial and residential construction projects within the local economy. Over the next five years, INL is looking at just under 3,000 job openings – about half of which are new growth, and the other half will be replacement workers. Source: Idaho Business Review
• NANO Nuclear Energy, a nuclear technology firm, plans to build a fuel fabrication plant at the INL in response to greater interest in nuclear energy, rising demand for fuel and to develop a domestic supply unaffected by international events. The company manufactures fuel for nuclear reactors, national laboratories and the U.S. Department of Energy. Design work on the $200 million project will begin in the next few months and construction is to start next year. Source: http://www.unitydive.com 
• Idaho will receive nearly $27 million as part of the Bureau of Land Management’s initiative to protect and conserve wildlife habitats and recreational opportunities on public lands. Funds come from the Inflation Reduction Act to benefit eastern Idaho rivers and plains in the southeastern portion of the state and the Snake River Plain in the southwestern sector of Idaho. Source: Bureau of Land Management
• The Natural Resources Conservation Service May 2023 Water Supply Outlook Report for Idaho indicates warmer-than-normal temperatures during May drove rapid snowmelt. Precipitation in May was higher than normal in the majority of the Southern Snake and Lost basins, ranging from 95% to 159% in these areas. Southeastern Idaho and the Upper Snake basins were the driest during May with 59% to 74% of normal precipitation. Total water year precipitation (WYP) is 96% to 109% in the West Central and Salmon River basins. The Wood and Lost basins range from 111% to 122%. The Upper Snake basins range from 107% to 130%, with the Snake River above Heise receiving the least amount of precipitation this year at 99%. The Southern Snake basins are very wet this year. Per the report, uncertainty remains whether the entire Upper Snake reservoir system will fill since last year’s carryover and winter baseflow were low. Mackay Reservoir sits below normal levels. Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Bonneville County

• Rise Up, Idaho’s first youth crisis center, opened June 12 in Idaho Falls. Free to the community, it serves youth ages 12-17, with hopes of eventually serving ages as young as 5. Initial funding was set aside by Gov. Brad Little, but it has also been funded and developed through the Idaho Department of Juvenile Justice and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Source: Post Register
• The city of Ammon is aiming to build a new indoor pool facility. The current outdoor pool at the city park was built in 1967. A fundraising event raised $1,000, but significantly more community support will be needed before construction can occur. Source: Post Register
• Idaho Falls has topped the list of economically Best-Performing Cities Index for 2023 recently released by the Milken Institute and. This is the second time in the past three years the city has ranked first in the small city category. Twelve indicators of economic growth are used to provide a comprehensive assessment of performance over a two-year period. Source: Post Register
• Three heavy rain events caused flooding in Idaho Falls from the end of May to the second week of June. The first event was a heavy three hour rain and hailstorm that brought 1.27 inches of precipitation and flash flooding on May 23, causing flooded basements, leaking roofs and stranded vehicles along with flood damage at many businesses. Restoration companies have been inundated with calls and customers put on wait lists to repair damage. Source: East Idaho News
• The Idaho Falls City Council approved an amendment to a development agreement with HIF Caribou LLC allowing the developer to construct a 43,000-square-foot public dog park on city-owned land. Source: Post Register
• Ground was broken on an expansion of the Bonneville County Jail Special Handling facility, which will serve inmates with special medical and mental needs, developmental disabilities or those who are a danger to themselves or others. Expected to be completed in August 2024, the facility will employ eight additional deputies and house up to 94 people. Total cost of the project is estimated at $19.2 million, with $17.2 million coming from the federal government and $4.2 million from Bonneville County. Source: East Idaho News
• Elevate Academy, serving grades 6-12, is a public charter school specializing in career technical education for at-risk students The school broke ground in Idaho Falls on a 56,000-square-foot facility. The campus will be the fourth in addition to those in Caldwell, Post Falls and Nampa. Source: Post Register
• The Ammon City Council passed a 75-acre annexation agreement on June 1 with Scratch Development to create a new residential and commercial area called Riviera Park. At full build-out, which could take five years, the development could house about 1,700 residents. Source: Post Register
• The Bonneville County median home listing prices in May slightly decreased to $457,000 and decreased 13.5% from May 2022 prices. The county reported an increase in month-over-month active home listings (3.4%) and a 21.5% increase year-over-year. Median days on the market decreased to 34 days (-24%). New listings were up from the month prior (14.4%). The number of homes in inventory with reduced listing prices in May was 116 (21%). Source: Realtor.com

 Fremont County

• South Fremont Junior High School intends to establish an innovation center with various media production, computer programming and maker labs. The project is funded by a “Gov. L. Butch & First Lady Lori Otter INL/BEA STEM Impact Grant” of $15,000. Source: East Idaho News

Jefferson County

• Kelly Canyon Resort is using the off season for a variety of significant projects. The resort is installing a surface lift between lifts two and four, giving guests easier access to the mountain’s east side. Lift four will see significant renovation, and its communication line is being replaced. A tubing park will be added, and further snowmaking improvements will be made, with snowmaking ponds being built to open earlier in the season. The resort is also getting ready to construct glamping and treehouse sites, adding a new off-season experience. The base lodge will also be remodeled. Source: Kelly Canyon news release

• Mud Lake and Terreton Water and Sewer District in Jefferson County was awarded $1,864,788 to begin phases of improvements. The first one consists of lining lagoon cells one, three, four and a lift station rehabilitation. Funding was provided as part of the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality American Rescue Plan Act grant, Source: KIFI Local News 8

• The Jefferson County median home listing prices in May increased to $565,750 (3%) from April, which was a 7.3% increase year over year. The county also reported an increase in month-over-month active home listings (16%), while median days on the market decreased to 35 days (-45%). New listings increased from the month prior (25%). The number of homes in inventory with reduced listing prices in May was 42 (163%). Source: Realtor.com

Lemhi County

• Several conservation projects to enhance ranch operations by saving water, reducing sediment runoff into the Lemhi River and improving fish habitat have been planned and funded in partnership with the Lemhi Soil and Water Conservation District and other agencies. The Lemhi District will replace the L-45 Diversion on the Lemhi River with a new, modern fish-friendly diversion. The Split River Ranch and Middle Lemhi Hayden Reach projects were planned in coordination with the Upper Salmon Basin Watershed Program, Lemhi District, Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Trout Unlimited and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Project funds came from the NRCS environmental quality incentives program, the Bonneville Power Administration’s Pacific Coast Recovery Funds and the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission’s Water Quality Program for Agriculture. The landowners provided cost-share funds as well. Source: Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission
• Despite continued exploration work in its Iron Creek cobalt and copper project in Lemhi County, Electra Battery Materials took steps to recycle and repurpose EV battery waste through an agreement with Three Fires Group focusing on lithium-ion batteries black mass processing. The aim is to recover high-value and in-demand elements including lithium, nickel, cobalt and graphite. Materials are processed and refined in Canada. Recent announcements by car makers Volkswagen, LG-Stellantis, Toyota and GM with plans for electric vehicle facilities in Ontario have encouraged Electra and Three Fires leaders. Source: Challis Messenger

Madison County

• Madison County median home listing prices in May slightly increased to $428,850 and decreased from May 2022 prices (-2.6%). The county also increased in month-over-month active home listings (10.3%), while median days on the market decreased to 41 days (-21%). New listings increased from the month prior (25%). The number of homes in inventory with reduced listing prices in May was 42 (163%). Source: Realtor.com

 Teton County

• Teton County median home listing prices in May decreased to $869,450, a drop of 3% month-over-month and 28% year-over-year. The county also increased in month-over-month active home listings (15%). Median days on the market decreased to 88 days (-13%). New listings increased from the month prior (29%). The number of homes in inventory with reduced listing prices in May was 16 (-300%). Source: Realtor.com

Ryan.Whitesides@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 557-2500 ext. 3628

---

This Idaho Department of Labor project is 100% funded by USDOL as part of $695,785 in Workforce Information Grant funds from the Employment and Training Administration.