Information provided in these news updates is collected up until the end of January 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
- A joint Spokane-Coeur d’Alene aerospace tech hub has received $48 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce. A consortium made up of more than 50 public and private sector organizations in Spokane and northern Idaho, including labor and workforce organizations, local governments, educational institutions and manufacturers applied for a first round of federal funding for the tech hub. The organizations failed to make the initial list of 12 projects to be funded in the first round. However, the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene tech hub was among the six projects selected for funding in the second round. Source: Journal of Business
- Despite a relatively snowless and warm winter at lower elevations, significant precipitation in northern Idaho is expected to end the region’s two-year drought. According to the Idaho Department of Water Resources, the mountain snow water equivalent was 135% of normal in the northern Panhandle. After two years of significant drought, the ongoing wet winter is expected to bring an end to drought conditions. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
Kootenai County
- Heritage Health is consolidating and moving its operations to a larger new facility in Coeur d’Alene. The nonprofit provider offers medical, dental and behavioral health services to almost 26,000 patients across northern Idaho. The provider also currently operates 12 clinic locations across the region. Roughly half of Heritage Health’s 360 employees will work out of the new facility. Some services will move in January, while others – including pediatrics, dental and pharmacy – will move in 2026. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
- Construction will begin soon on the new Sherman Tower hotel in downtown Coeur d’Alene. The 15-story hotel will offer 139 rooms and more than 10,000 square feet of restaurant, retail and office space. The Sherman Tower is expected to open in the spring of 2027. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
- Work is resuming ahead of schedule to complete a traffic improvement project on Government Way in Coeur d’Alene. Thanks to a relatively snowless winter, work on the corridor improvement (which was scheduled to resume in the spring) is currently underway. The project includes upgrades to signaling and pedestrian ramps at 10 different intersections. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
- The Macy’s department store in Coeur d’Alene’s Silver Lake Mall will be closing this year, per an announcement from the company. The planned closure will shutter the last of the mall’s chain department store anchor tenants, after the closure of Sears in 2018 and JCPenny in 2021. Source: Journal of Business
Samuel.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
- Clearwater Paper is laying off 23 Lewiston employees and eliminating approximately 50 additional vacant positions. The layoffs are potentially the result of high operating costs combined with soft paperboard prices. The company experienced significant unplanned operating losses in 2024 that include the January deep freeze event (resulting in operational losses exceeding $15 million, of which $10.5 million was covered by insurance proceeds) and a $322,000 civil penalty imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency for unreported chlorine releases throughout 2019-2021. Source: Lewiston Tribune, Clearwater Paper
Latah County
- The U.S. Department of Justice has filed a civil lawsuit that claims investment firm KKR did not comply with antitrust laws in its 2021 acquisition of EMSI. After the acquisition, KKR consolidated EMSI and Burning Glass into the company now known as Lightcast. The suit highlights that KKR failed to file 28 premerger documents, allowing the company to close transactions without appropriate government review. Source: Lewiston Tribune, U.S. Justice Department
- The University of Idaho is launching an energy institute with a program focus on cybersecurity, sustainability and global energy systems. The institute will operate within the College of Engineering and will offer certificates, minors and full degree programs. The institute will work to expand partnerships with local electricity providers. Source: Lewiston Tribune
- Gritman Medical Center has two construction projects in process – a new central sterile room for its surgical instruments and a fifth operating room within the surgery department. The total project cost is estimated at $5 million and will be paid through tax-exempt revenue bonds. Source: Lewiston Tribune
Clearwater County
- Orofino’s Clearwater Community Complex will soon be under construction with an estimated completion date of 2026. The $4.9 million complex will replace the existing pool with an eight-lane competition pool and a recreation and lesson pool. The project is being funded through donations, grants and sponsorships. Source: Clearwater Progress
- U.S. Bank will be closing its Orofino location by April 30. U.S. Bank currently operates 49 locations throughout Idaho, including nearby Lewiston, Moscow and Grangeville. Source: U.S. Bank
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
Boise County
- Bogus Basin received the prestigious top award for best ski resorts nationally by Newsweek based on a poll of its readership. Source: Idaho Business Review
- St. Luke’s announced the opening of an OB/GYN clinic in Nampa above the former Saltzer Urgent Care Clinic. Two labor and delivery practices closed in 2024 creating a void in women’s health care services. Source: Idaho News 6
Elmore County
- Mountain Home’s Richard McKenna Charter High School is expanding with the addition of 25,000 square feet at an estimated cost of $9.8 million. This comes with the uptick of 130 new enrollees. Source: Mountain Home News
Valley County
- The McCall-Donnelly School District hosted a grand opening of its new employee housing development. The project offers eight units for its employees based on a sliding scale to keep costs within 30% of a tenant’s income. Source: The McCall Star-News
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 decreased in December 2024, with a total of 2,036 unique job postings in the region, a 19% decrease from 2,527 unique postings in November. The unemployment rate remained flat at 3.6% from November to December. The unemployment rate has increased 0.5% from December 2023. Total employment has increased 1.9% over the past year.
Blaine County
- The Forest Service has entered a 99-year lease to develop workforce housing on an almost two-acre lot, specifics of the agreement are currently not publicly available. Source: Idaho Mountain Express
Minidoka County
- A company that will produce plastic pipes used in construction and farming, Pipeline Plastics, broke ground on a factory in Rupert. Pipeline Plastics has factories in Texas, North Carolina and South Dakota. Fifty employees will be on site, with the factory expected to open in fall 2025. Source: KMVT
Closings
- Johnny Carino’s – Twin Falls
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 Pocatello-Chubbuck School District held a public hearing to discuss declining enrollment and the potential of school closures. The district voted to close Washington Elementary on Jan. 21. Source: KIFI News, Idaho State Journal
Bingham County
- The Bingham County Planning and Zoning Commission met to hear arguments for a conditional permit to begin gravel mining. Source: KIFI News
- The Blackfoot Animal Shelter and Rescue received a $100,000 grant from the Shoshone Bannock tribes. Source: KPVI News
Caribou County
- The Bureau of Land Management sought public opinion on the new proposed Caldwell Canyon Phosphate Mine. The revised proposal comes after a federal judge blocked the previous deal citing concerns about sage grouse and violating the National Environmental Policy Act. Source: Bureau of Land Management, Center for Biological Diversity
Oneida County
- The new Malad Elementary School opened its doors in January. This opened a new chapter for the city, as the old elementary is slated for demolition. Source: The Idaho Enterprise
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
- The Idaho Advanced Energy Consortium (IAEC) was awarded a $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration through the Good Jobs Challenge program. IAEC’s Advanced Nuclear Workforce Ecosystem projects also received in-kind contributions of $1.8 million. The funds will support the Intermountain-West Nuclear Energy Corridor tech hub regional workforce ecosystem, focused on accelerating the advanced nuclear energy industry. The funds will also be distributed among College of Eastern Idaho, Idaho State University, Idaho Workforce Development Council and Idaho National Laboratory to enhance nuclear technician training, nuclear trades curriculum and transitional workforce training opportunities. Source: Idaho Business Review
- The Teton Pass Shuttle, a project of Teton Backcountry Alliance, reported a record number of people so far this winter with skiers, snowboarders, snowshoers and others utilizing its ride service to access the backcountry. Source: Buckrail
- Teton Regional Land Trust works across eastern Idaho to help protect natural spaces, agricultural lands and wildlife habitat through voluntary conservation easements on private land. The trust launched a new program to assist landowners of working agricultural lands with succession planning to keep working lands with new generations of agriculture producers. Source: Teton Valley News
- The Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA) had another record year in 2024 as passenger traffic increased 12% year over year with 73% more passengers taking flights than in 2019. Five airlines currently service IDA, offering direct flights to nine cities. Source: KIFI and City of Idaho Falls
- According to mountain data from Natural Resources Conservation Services’ Snow Telemetry (SNOTEL), December precipitation data shows Lost River and Little Wood basins were the driest watersheds in Idaho at 80-85% of normal, and total water year precipitation ranged from 65-81% of normal. Snowpack in the Lost and Wood basins ranged from 80-110% of normal, which is better than January 2024 when snowpack was 50-60% of normal. December Salmon River basin precipitation was 80% of normal, and snowpack was 110% of normal. Mackay Reservoir was holding between 80-90% of its normal storage and 42% capacity. Source: Natural Resources Conservation Services
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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