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
- The regional housing market remains strong, according to the Coeur d’Alene Regional Realtors. Median prices on single family homes increased 4.1% year over year in October, while year to date home sales increased 3.6% in Kootenai County. Median prices and sales also increased in Shoshone County by 3.9% and 6.4% respectively. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
Bonner County
- The City of Sandpoint is seeking a $130 million bond to renovate its wastewater treatment plant. According to city officials, the plant has many components that are past their usable life and require wholesale renovation. In the absence of the bond, utility rates are slated to increase by around 600% to finance the project. Work on the plant is expected to start in 2026 and will take roughly five years to complete. Source: Coeur d’Alene Press
Kootenai County
- A new lodging development is under construction in Athol near Silverwood Theme Park. Named BumbleBee Travel Center, the project will bring luxury cabins to provide lodging adjacent to the park. 18 cabins are currently under construction and are expected to open early in the summer of 2026, with 25 additional cabins expected in 2027. Source: Journal of Business
- The City of Post Falls received a $1.25 million Land and Water Conservation Fund grant to finance the new Quarry Sports Complex. The facility will include several multipurpose fields and amenities with the potential for additional sports courts. Construction is expected to start in the spring of 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
- Initial unemployment insurance claims filed within north central averaged 19 initial claims per week in October 2025 compared to 17 in September and 24 in October 2024. Continuing claims averaged 136 per week in October 2025, a decrease slightly from 144 in September but an increase from 86 weekly continuing claims reported in October 2024. Job postings continue to hold at a steady pace and many local employers continue to either struggle to fill positions or are experiencing high quit levels.
- Amazon opened its new 28,000 square foot delivery station between Pullman, WA and Moscow, ID. This facility does not hold inventory but instead sorts packages from an Amazon fulfillment center for efficient final delivery to customers. Source: Lewiston Tribune
- Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) will construct a new 150,000 square foot electronic device manufacturing facility adjacent to its printed circuit board factory in Moscow. SEL expects the $50 million facility to be fully constructed by 2027. Source: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories
- Construction on the new Idaho County jail is expected to be complete by the end of November 2025 and the incarcerated population will begin occupying it in January 2026. Source: Idaho County Free Press
- Lewis-Clark State College held a grand opening for the new Workforce Training program location at Clearwater Hall in downtown Lewiston. Workforce Training was previously located in north Lewiston and the new location is meant to improve accessibility and collaboration. Source: Lewis-Clark State College
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
- WinCo Foods was recently ranked No. 2 nationally among 100 other companies with an employee stock ownership program (ESOP). WinCo Foods fell into the category of 20,000 employee owners and received the award from the National Center for Employee Ownership. To be selected, a company must have at least 50% employee ownership while WinCo Foods is 100% employee owned. It started in Boise in 1967 as Waremart, then reorganized as an ESOP in 1985 after the death of its founder. The company has expanded from Idaho and Oregon to Washington, Utah, California, Arizona, Nevada, Montana, Texas and Oklahoma. Source: Wincofoods.com and Idaho Business Review
- Boise tax base supported an $11 million levy to buy land for recreation and environmental protection. The levy will add $10 for every $100,000 of taxable assessed property value, passing by 80.7% of the vote. Over 37,000 Boiseans voted for the levy with 9,000 voters opposed. Source: Idaho Statesman
Canyon County
- Nampa School District patrons voted to approve a two-year $33.6 million levy with 52% support. The levy replaces an existing levy with less financial impact to homeowners. The new levy will cost $40.63 per 100,000 of taxable assessed value versus the previous levy at $63. 27 per $100,000. The levy covers over a dozen district needs from curriculum, to building security to playgrounds and supplemental salaries. Source: Idaho Press
- The University of Idaho’s extension research farm in Parma and Potatoes USA, a marketing and research firm, hosted chefs from 12 countries including Mexico, Bahrain and Taiwan totaling about two dozen for this ‘reverse trade mission’. They were exposed to the ins and outs of potato production. The professionals toured a Caldwell farm, met with department heads at the research farm including biological control and pesticide reduction, walked the potato fields and toured a production plant. The next stop is Chicago where they cook with the potatoes. Source: Idaho Press
Valley County
- The McCall City Council approved piloting a four-day work week for city staff as a perk. This will impact facilities normally open on Fridays including City Hall, public works, the McCall Municipal Airport office, the city shop, fleet services, the administrative offices of the McCall Police Department and Parks & Recreation. The test period will run from Dec. 1, 2025 through May 29, 2026. Those employees that are office-based, non-emergency and full-time will still work 40 hours, rather than five eight-hour days, they will put in four 10-hour shifts. Source: The 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 news
- Pipeline Plastics has opened their new advanced HDPE pipe manufacturing plant in Rupert. The newly opened facility is expecting to provide 50 jobs. Source: Magic Valley Times-News
- Breeze Airways will begin offering direct flights from Twin Falls to Las Vegas and Orange County beginning on March 6, 2026. Flights will be scheduled for Mondays and Fridays. Source: KMVT
- Intermountain Health Cassia Regional Hospital has completed its new facility in Burley. The facility has consolidated all services into one building with over 50 patient rooms, along with an additional ambulance bay. 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
- Idaho State University students are being offered full-time tuition and living expenses from the Idaho Making Progress Against Critical Teacher Shortages in STEM (IMPACTS in STEM) program. The National Science Foundation is providing the $1.2 million grant. Participants first earn an undergrad STEM degree from the College of Science and Engineering then, secondly, a Masters of Arts in Teaching in the College of Education. There are currently three students, one in the graduate phase and two in the undergraduate. Source: KIFI News
- The Bannock County Youth Development Center opened officially. The facility partners with the Pocatello Chubbuck School District and Bannock County Juvenile Justice to provide classrooms, behavioral intervention and extracurricular activities catered to at- risk youth. This facility replaces the old center which was a repurposed jail above the county elections office. The project was funded with $2.6 million from the American Rescue Plan Act. Source: KPVI News
Bingham County
- The city of Blackfoot secured a deal with the Snake River Valley Irrigation District to recharge Jensen Grove Lake. Snake River Valley Irrigation will be managing the lake and will accordingly be paid 25% of recharge revenue in the new deal. 75% of the revenue will be held by the city for Jensen Grove capital improvements. Source: Bingham News Chronicle
Caribou County
- The future sight of the Grace Clinic, of the Caribou Medical Center, recently broke ground. The clinic will provide county residents care with extended hours 12 miles east from the main hospital. Source: Idaho State Journal
- Turner Mining Group began operating of the Soda Springs Phosphate mine under a six-year contract. Headquartered in Bloomington Indiana, the new contract will support 125 jobs. Source: The News Examiner
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
- Idaho Falls Regional Airport set a new year-to-date new passenger record, exceeding 316,000. The airport anticipates over 360,000 passenger enplanements by the end of the calendar year. Growth is being driven by more flights to Denver, Seattle, Salt Lake City and other new destinations, as well as a larger aircraft. Source: KIFI
- Oklo Inc. announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has approved the Nuclear Safety Design Agreement for its Aurora Fuel Fabrication Facility at Idaho National Laboratory — the first such approval under the DOE’s Fuel Line Pilot Projects. This rapid approval demonstrates a new authorization pathway that could accelerate U.S. industrial capacity, enhance national energy security and streamline scaling of advanced nuclear technologies. Source: Business Wire
- Brigham Young University-Idaho reported the largest fall enrollment in school history. On-campus enrollment is at 24,500 students, a near 7% increase from last fall. An additional 22,000 students take online classes with BYU-Pathway Worldwide, with total enrollment at 46,500. This led to a 5% increase over the year. Source: BYU-Idaho
- The Museum of Idaho received a $50,000 cultural institution donation from Oklo Inc., an advanced nuclear technology company. Source: KIFI
- The Art Museum of Eastern Idaho in Idaho Falls announced construction plans for a new education center. 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 SFY26 as part of a Workforce Information grant (41%) and state/nonfederal funds (59%) totaling $860,595.
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.