Information provided in these news updates is collected up until the end of August 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
Bonner County
- The ongoing Sunset Fire northeast of Athol has burned more than 3,200 acres. Due to the fire, the U.S. Forest Service announced a closure order for the Idaho Panhandle National Forests. Source: KHQ News
Kootenai County
- The North Idaho State Fair opened Aug. 15 for its annual 10-day run at the Kootenai County fairgrounds. The 2025 theme was “Keeping Tradition Alive,” and the fair featured hundreds of attractions and vendors. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
- The Coeur d’Alene City Council has proposed a $152.6 million budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year which includes a 3% property tax increase, which will generate $835,702 in additional revenue. The city council held public hearings concerning the proposed budget in August. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
- Home prices edged further upward in Kootenai County according to the latest market snapshot from Coeur d’Alene Regional Realtors. The median home price increased to $545,000, which was a 3.3% increase year over year. Active listings and single-family home sales in Kootenai County have both increased slightly year over year, while average days on market has declined slightly. Source: Journal of Business
- Corhaven Properties announced plans to develop an additional retail building in the new shopping center at Highway 41 and Poleline in Post Falls. The new phase of the development will include four retail units of up to 1,800 square feet each. The new shopping center currently has a Grocery Outlet and a 7-Eleven with a McDonald’s scheduled to open in 2026. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
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
Nez Perce County
- Cascade Plastics, owned by Flex Labs out of St. Paul, Minnesota, has announced plans to construct a plastic injection molding manufacturing facility in Lewiston. Construction of the $6.5 million, 36,000 square foot facility is expected to be completed in early 2026 and may employ 30 workers in Lewiston. Cascade Plastics currently supplies plastic bullet packaging trays to The Kinetic Group (aka CCI/Speer). Source: Lewiston Tribune
Latah County
- The University of Idaho will begin offering the state’s first Bachelor of Science degree in geological engineering. Students can complete all four years at the University of Idaho campus in Moscow or can attend the first two years at North Idaho College and then transfer to University of Idaho for the remaining two years. Source: The Argonaut
Clearwater County
- Clearwater County was issued an investment grade Biofuel Development Opportunity Zone ‘A’ rating for its development potential to build new biofuel plants. These are areas that are determined to have a high chance of success in drawing investment and creating jobs. Clearwater County retains Idaho’s highest producing timberlands and currently has a 42-acre vacant lumber mill site available three miles east of Orofino. Other potential sites have been identified at a former truss manufacturing site in Weippe and vacant lots in Pierce. Source: Clearwater Tribune and bdozone.org
Lewis County
- Kamiah Online, a K-8 online distance education program, has been implemented by the Kamiah School District over the past year. It will be a separate entity within the school district, but students will be counted in total enrollment numbers. Source: Idaho County Free Press
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
Canyon County
- The city of Caldwell annexed Farmway Village allowing it to help with adding more affordable housing options to the in-demand area that provides housing for some of Canyon County’s farm laborers. Source: KTVB News
Owyhee County
- Construction started on a commercial development in Homedale. Source: Owyhee Avalanche
Valley County
- In January 2026, Alaska Airlines will add a ninth flight between Boise and California flying nonstop into the Ontario International Airport. Source: Idaho Statesman
Openings
- The city of Boise hosted a ribbon cutting for its recently constructed, affordable apartment complex in downtown Boise. The 102 units were created for those earning 30-80% of the area median income or $108,800 annually for a family of four. Source: KTVB 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 news
Blaine County
- Mountain Rides has finished construction on its $5.6 million, 6,581 square-foot bus depot expansion in Bellevue. Mountain Rides plans to have a fleet of fully electric busses by Jan. 15, 2026. Source: Idaho Mountain Express
- Alaska Airlines announced a direct flight from San Diego to Hailey beginning Dec. 18, 2025 through March 29, 2026. Source: Idaho Mountain Express
- Air St. Luke’s Medical Transport has expanded its service to St. Luke’s Wood River Valley Medical Center. This expansion will reduce air transportation times, as helicopters coming from the Magic Valley to Blaine County can take 30 to 40 minutes. Source: KMVT
Minidoka County
- Minico High School has completed its new agriculture building. The new building will expand the school’s Career and Technical Education programs. Programs like fabrication, fish and wildlife, and animal science will be taught in the new agriculture building. Source: KMVT
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 Downey Bannock County Fairground’s new Exhibit Hall held a ribbon cutting. The structure replaces the old building and will have expanded functionality including an exhibit space, kitchen, offices and meeting room. The building was financed using a $1 million grant from the American Rescue Plan Act and $700,000 in donations. Source: KIFI News
- Lava Hot Springs Academy, a new charter school in the place of the former Lava Elementary School, opened. The school plans to be operational for the upcoming school year and will teach kindergarten through 6th grade with new curriculum. Source: KPVI News
Bingham County
- Idaho National Laboratory visited Fort Hall as part of their STEM Scholars on the Road summer program. The program aims to introduce students to a variety of science, technology, engineering, arts and math careers. Source: Sho-Ban News
Caribou County
- The Small Town Ruckus podcast, based in Soda Springs, started streaming to discuss rural living. Source: The News Examiner
Power County
- Lamb Weston, at the behest of activist investors, ousted its CEO. The new administration set a goal to reduce its workforce by 4%. This is part of its new strategic plan to reduce costs by $250 million by the end of 2025. Source: East Idaho News
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 U.S. Department of Energy selected Idaho National Laboratory as one of four sites nationally to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) data center and energy generation projects. Source: U.S. Department of Energy
- College of Eastern Idaho launched a new Associate of Arts in Education degree program starting fall 2025. Elementary or secondary education pathways allow for transfer into four-year teacher education programs to help fill the state’s growing need for educators. Source: College of Eastern Idaho
- Riverbend Media Group added a new radio station in eastern Idaho, Farm County 1260 AM. An affiliate of the Western Ag Network and based in Idaho Falls, the station is being utilized to inform farmers and ranchers. The station includes country music, informational broadcasts about markets, as well as interviews and stories from academia that focus on new agricultural methods and technologies. Source: East Idaho News
- The Idaho Travel Council awarded $1.9 million to Yellowstone Teton Territory to promote tourism marketing. Source: Idaho Travel Council
- Yellowstone National Park hosted over 975,000 recreation visits in July 2025, a decrease of 2% from July 2024, and a 10% decrease from the record-breaking year of 2021. Year to date, the park has hosted nearly 2.7 million visitors, an increase of 1.5% from 2024, but decreased 0.1% from 2021. Source: Yellowstone National Park
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.
This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.