Information provided in these news updates is collected up until the end of November and includes professional sources, news releases, weekly and daily newspapers, television and other media.
Northern Idaho
North central Idaho
Southwestern Idaho
South central Idaho
Southeastern Idaho
Eastern Idaho
NORTHERN IDAHO
Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Kootenai and Shoshone counties
Regional news
Kootenai County
- The North Point Plaza development is under construction on Highway 41 north of Post Falls. Early tenants will include a 7-Eleven opening December and a Grocery Outlet store in early 2025. Four additional parcels are available for tenants. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
- A new Indigo Urgent Care is under construction in Hayden. Indigo currently operates a network of Urgent Cares across the inland northwest, including in Coeur d’Alene. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
- A mixed used building named the “Nonna” building is under development in Post Falls, with commercial space on the ground floor and 33 apartments on the upper three floors. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
Openings
- Chipotle (Post Falls)
- Trader Joe’s (Coeur d’Alene)
- Joyful Journey Childcare (Hayden)
- Premiere Aesthetics (Post Falls)
- Boost Espresso (Coeur d’Alene)
- Paris Vintage (Coeur d’Alene)
- Pete Paws Resort 9 (Coeur d’Alene)
- Farwest Steel (Post Falls)
- SMP Ink CDA (Coeur d’Alene)
- Hair’s The Thing (Coeur d’Alene)
- Treehouse Restaurant (Coeur d’Alene)
- Armory Outpost (Hayden)
- Divine Nails & Spa (Coeur d’Alene)
- Honeysuckle Suites (Hayden)
- La Pinata (Post Falls)
- MAC Physical Therapy (Post Falls)
- Orchid Nails & Spa (Coeur d’Alene)
Sam.Wolkenhauer@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 696-2353
NORTH CENTRAL IDAHO
Clearwater, Idaho, Latah, Lewis and Nez Perce counties
Regional news
North Central Idaho
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded $6.4 million in Regional Conservation Partnership Program funds to improve fish and wildlife habitat for the lower south fork Clearwater River watershed. Funds will be used for floodplain connection and large wood and boulder placement for habitat diversity. It will also create both water and land-based habitats utilizing native vegetation. Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Nez Perce County
- Sofidel America completed its acquisition of Clearwater Paper’s private label tissue production plant in Lewiston along with three other production plants in Nevada, North Carolina and Illinois. Clearwater Paper has retained ownership of its paperboard and pulp divisions. The company will sell pulp to Sofidel for tissue production. The new ownership structure will see almost 500 local Lewiston employees transferred from Clearwater Paper to Sofidel. With the acquisition, Sofidel America now operates 12 plants in 11 states and is the fourth largest tissue paper manufacturer in the U.S. with 7% market share (No. 1 being Georgia Pacific at 27%, No. 2 being Procter and Gamble at 15%, No. 3 being Kimberly-Clark at 14% and No. 5 being Essity at 6%). Clearwater Paper will lease land and facilities to Sofidel as well as provide a services and use agreement. Source: Clearwater Paper, Sofidel America
Idaho County
- The Mountain View School District 244 school board voted to deconsolidate in early November. The process would break up Mountain View into two school districts – Clearwater Valley school district 245 and Grangeville school district 246. The next step is to receive approval from both the Idaho State Board of Education and by public vote in May 2025. Source: Idaho Education News
- Elk City was selected as an Innovia Foundation Community Heart and Soul initiative grant recipient for $30,000 towards community-based projects over the next two years. Residents will identify what is most important to them in their community and what they prioritize. Some successful outcomes from other program participants have included increased economic development, additional volunteerism, more active community engagement in decision making and community-supported programs. Source: Idaho County Free Press
Latah County
- University of Idaho was awarded a $7.8 million grant for its ECLIPSE program to promote employment training resources for college-age students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These students will attend on-campus inclusive education programs within Idaho. Source: University of Idaho
- Through a financial gift from the J.R. Simplot Family Foundation, the University of Idaho has established its first endowed deanship of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences that will receive financial support for pursuing and investing in forward looking agribusiness advancement opportunities. Source: University of Idaho
Lisa.Grigg@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 696-2256
SOUTHWESTERN IDAHO
Ada, Adams, Boise, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Owyhee, Payette, Valley and Washington counties
Regional news
Ada County
- Meta announced its Kuna Data Center is on schedule and set to open in 2025. It is referred to as a mega data center with two buildings that could hold eight football fields in length each. There will be an estimated 700,000 servers housed at the center with an estimated 100 workers. The construction was paused for eight months with the company reevaluating needs creating a redesign. The center will be using 100% renewable energy while adding 200 megawatts of renewable energy to the state’s grid. Source: Idaho Business Review
Canyon County
- The Caldwell School District’s patrons passed a two-year, $4.1 million levy that failed at the polls in May. Source: Idaho Press
Owyhee County
- Idaho Power was awarded almost $500,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy to provide enhancements at the C.J. Strike Reservoir campgrounds. The work will begin next year and is expected to cost between $2 million and $3 million. Source: The Owyhee Avalanche
Valley County
- Tamarack Resort in Donnelly announced it is moving forward with its plan to increase the ski resort base, triple its current skiable domain of 1,100 acres. It submitted a plan to expand its special use permit with the U.S. Forest Service.
Jan.Roeser@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 696-2172
SOUTH CENTRAL IDAHO
Blaine, Camas, Cassia, Gooding, Jerome, Lincoln, Minidoka and Twin Falls counties
Regional labor market information
- Labor demand in south central Idaho remained strong in October 2024, with a total of 3,899 unique job postings in the region, a 7% increase from 3,641 unique postings in September 2024. The unemployment rate remained at 3.5% from September 2024 and has increased 0.3% from October 2023. Total employment has increased 2.5% over the past year.
Regional news
Blaine County
- The Freidman Memorial Airport Authority board has approved a lease agreement allowing business jet servicer Clay Lacy to construct a terminal on a 10-acre plot southwest of the runway. The terminal is planned to have 70,000 square feet of hangar space for business jets and 45,000 square feet for smaller general aviation planes. The design of the terminal is still awaiting approval. Source: Idaho Mountain Express
Twin Falls County
- The privately-owned “Splash Canyon Hotel” is being constructed on the corner of Bridgeview and Pole Line in Twin Falls offering indoor water slides, pools and hot tubs. The hotel will be constructed in two phases. The first phase will have 64 rooms, with 20-30 additional rooms planned in phase two. The hotel is planned for completion in Summer of 2025. Source: Magic Valley Times News
- North Canyon Network of Care has opened a 23,000 square foot clinic in Twin Falls. The new three-story building has 25 exam rooms, expanding their services in Twin Falls from primarily orthopedic services to provide family medicine, ear, nose, throat, gynecology, urology services and diagnostic imaging services. Source: Magic Valley Times News
Seth.Harrington@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 696-2364
SOUTHEASTERN IDAHO
Bannock, Bear Lake, Bingham, Caribou, Franklin, Oneida and Power counties
Regional news
Bannock County
- The Idaho Bassheads, a Pocatello car club, held its fundraiser for Toys for Tots. The same event also held a trunk or treat immediately following the fundraiser. In 2023, this event raised $3,000 and served 1,000 children during the trunk or treat event. Source: Idaho State Journal
- Idaho State University reported its fourth consecutive enrollment increase as 3.5%. The Fall 2024 class is the largest first-year student class this decade. Source: Idaho EdNews
- The Brady Chapel held a ribbon cutting for the restoration of the historical Pocatello building. This was the result of $13,000 donations raised by the Friends of Brady Chapel, Idaho Heritage Trust and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Source: East Idaho News
Bear Lake County
- The Bear Lake School District updated its stage lighting thanks to the Bear Lake Education Foundation, community fundraising amounting to over $16,000 in contributions and a grant from the Idaho Commission on the Arts. The state-of-the-art lighting improves the quality of the school’s stage productions. Source: The News Examiner
Power County
- The American Falls Airport grand opening was delayed for weather concerns. They received a $700,000 grant from the Federal Aviation Association and $5 million from the Association for Small Town Airports. Source: The Power County Press
Brandon.Duong@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 236-6715
EASTERN IDAHO
Bonneville, Butte, Clark, Custer, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison and Teton counties
Regional news
- Yellowstone National Park hosted 838,458 visitors last month, the second highest September on record. So far in 2024, the park has hosted 4,349,689 recreation visits, an increase of 5% since 2023. The year-to-date numbers are just 120,000 lower than in 2021, the park’s record-setting year. Source: National Park Service
- The Idaho Falls Regional Airport received $2.5 million from the Federal Aviation Administration for expanding the terminal’s outbound baggage processing, ticketing, airline offices and baggage screening areas. Construction will begin in the Spring of 2025. Source: KIFI
- The U.S. and Idaho Departments of Agriculture partnered with the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program, awarding the following equipment and infrastructure grants for increased capacity and output in eastern Idaho to:
- Farr Candy Co. in Idaho Falls – $95,000 for equipment to increase ice cream manufacturing.
- Salmon Valley Stewardship in Salmon – $99,620 for a community commercial kitchen for regional producers and food businesses.
- Walters Produce 2.0 in Newdale – $96,023 for potato line improvements to increase capacity. Source: Capital Press
- The new Arco Wind and Solar project located outside of Idaho Falls was approved by the Idaho board of land commissioners, becoming the first wind and solar farm on Idaho endowment land. The 49-year lease will be developed by Pacificorp on 11,000 acres for 10 to 12 wind turbines and 2,000-5,000 acres for solar generator equipment. Source: KIFI
Ryan.Whitesides@labor.idaho.gov, regional economist
Idaho Department of Labor
(208) 696-2347
This Idaho Department of Labor project is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor for SFY25 as part of a Workforce Information grant (40%) and state/nonfederal funds (60%) totaling $885,703.
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