Economy

Bottom Rung: Why Building A Strong Idaho Economy Takes Public Investment

Molly Messick — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:55:16 +0000

Bob Lokken, CEO of Boise-based WhiteCloud Analytics, is three years into building his new company. It designs software for health care professionals with the aim of allowing doctors and others to interrogate vast amounts of health care data. Lokken founded it after his previous company, ProClarity Corporation, was bought by Microsoft.

Recently, he showed me around the downtown office where software developers work intently behind large computer screens. I wasn’t there to talk about better health outcomes through guided data analysis; I was there to talk about Idaho’s workforce.

Bottom Rung: The Workforce Shift That’s Costing Idaho Good-Paying Jobs

Molly Messick — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:41:12 +0000

Not long ago, you could hear the buzz of power saws all over the Treasure Valley. It was punctuated by the steady rhythm of hammers and nail guns. More than 10,000 homes went up in Ada and Canyon counties in the two years before the recession hit. Then, the sound stopped.

“’08 and ’09 were really hard,” says Aaron Wright of Steelhead Construction. He founded the siding and remodeling company as Idaho’s housing boom took hold. At the peak, Wright employed more than 30 people. When the market crashed, he scaled back to three.

Bottom Rung: Two Idaho Workers Talk About Life On Low Wages

Molly Messick — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:39:42 +0000

Wages are lower in Idaho than in nearly ever other state. That’s often chalked up to Idaho’s rural nature and low cost of living. But recently, the state has lost ground.

How Will Treefort Music Fest Manage Growth?

Frankie Barnhill — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 12:25:00 +0000

Boise’s Treefort Music Fest made some big strides in its second year. A month after the festival wrapped up, organizers say the festival grew more than was previously thought.

Regional Airlines Intend To Keep Flying If Control Towers Close

Tom Banse — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 23:18:00 +0000

The control towers at 14 small to medium sized airports around the Northwest will close on April first in response to automatic federal budget cuts. That will mean four airports in Idaho. That's according to an airport industry association. But regional airlines intend to keep flying to those cities they now serve.

Rural Idaho Left Behind In Early Economic Recovery

Jessica Robinson — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 18:13:48 +0000

New numbers out Monday show Idaho's rural areas experienced the post-recession years very differently from the state's cities. While places like Boise and Pocatello were on the mend, economic output in rural communities in Idaho declined.

Mining Industry in Idaho Seeks Shorter Permit Application Period

Aaron Kunz — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 23:02:48 +0000

Mining has pumped billions of dollars into the Idaho economy. It’s one of the states considered by the industry to be the most mining-friendly.

But even here, the industry is frustrated that it can take years before permits are issued and work can get underway. That’s why mining officials are appealing to state lawmakers to help speed up the regulatory process. It’s a proposition that has environmentalists worried.

Northwest Winemakers Hope To Entice China's Emerging Middle Class

Anna King — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:56:11 +0000

Northwest winemakers are trying to whet-the-whistle of China's emerging middle class. Demand for wine is growing significantly there. And that’s drawn Chinese business delegations, restaurateurs and tourists to the region.

Signs Of The Times Buried In Holiday Trash Heaps

Jessica Robinson — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 16:13:50 +0000

Now that presents have been opened, it's time for another tradition of the holiday season: bags upon bags of trash. One garbage collector in north Idaho says he sees reflections of the economy in this year’s haul.

At the transfer station in Shoshone County, Idaho, signs of the holidays are all around Vince Peterson.

“Mostly the amount of cardboard, plastic," he says. "Wrapping paper goes wild.”

Chobani Opens Twin Falls Yogurt Facility, But At What Cost To Taxpayers?

Emilie Ritter Saunders — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:14:50 +0000

In November 2011, the New York-based Greek yogurt maker Chobani announced plans to build a multimillion dollar manufacturing facility in Twin Falls, Idaho, with plans to hire 400 people.

Today, 13 months later, Chobani’s Twin Falls facility hosted its grand opening. New numbers show the yogurt maker hired fewer people than expected, and collected more subsidies than first reported.

“Jobless In Idaho” Comes Full Circle: After A Long Search, A Single Mom Finds Work

Molly Messick — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 16:41:05 +0000

At this time last year, StateImpact Idaho began a series called “Jobless in Idaho.” Through those interviews we met Kelly Barker, a single mom from Meridian who was struggling to find work after losing her job as an office administrator in early 2011.

Hostess To Eliminate 133 Idaho Jobs

Frankie Barnhill — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 21:05:35 +0000

Idaho will lose 133 jobs as a result of the impending Hostess shutdown. That's according to a spokesman for the snack-cake maker.

Nationally, the Hostess closure will affect 18,000 workers.

The company is in bankruptcy court while the liquidation process moves forward.

In court, attorneys representing the company have asked for permission to spend nearly $2 million to help retain executives to lead the company through its last days.

Housing Rebound Has More Northwest Sawmills Buzzing

Tom Banse — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 16:59:25 +0000

Sawmills in the Northwest have significantly ramped up production in response to the rebound in construction nationally. That's according to a market survey by an industry consultant based near Seattle.

Wood Resources International president Hakan Ekstrom says the region's sawmills are returning to profitability thanks to a happy coincidence of rising domestic and foreign demand.

Boise Arts Industry Worth $48 Million

Frankie Barnhill — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 12:28:24 +0000

The arts and culture industry generates more than $48 million a year in Boise. That’s according to a new study by Americans for the Arts. Today’s numbers paint a nice portrait of the city’s growing art scene.

Randy Cohen is with Americans for the Arts, the DC-based organization that put out the study.

Cohen says that arts organizations like the Trey McIntyre Project and the Boise Philharmonic help create a community people want to live in. But they also create revenue.

NW Skiers Bank On Early Forecasts Being Wrong

Jessica Robinson — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 19:05:12 +0000

Weather forecasters say the current dry spell in the Northwest may turn into a dry winter. But the region’s ski areas aren’t buying it. They’re banking on enough snowfall for winter sports.

John Livingston is the chief meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Spokane. He says the key to the Northwest’s winter lies in ocean surface temperatures between South America and Indonesia. That’s where patterns are developing that seem to point to a warmer “El Nino” year.

One Drought, Two Idaho Farmers, Very Different Outcomes

Molly Messick — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 13:46:48 +0000

Some of Idaho’s most fertile farm ground has been hit by the drought that’s crippling crops nationwide. Farmers who have deep wells and irrigation are faring well. Those who don’t aren’t. It’s one indication of the very different economics of dry-land and irrigated farming.

Boise Airport Picks Up New Airline, Nonstop Flights

Emilie Ritter Saunders — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 20:33:22 +0000

Allegiant Air, known for its low cost direct flights, will now fly out of Boise. The airline announced new flights from Boise to Las Vegas starting in October and Boise to Honolulu beginning in February.

Here’s the press release from Allegiant:

One Housing Sector That’s Booming: Survival Realty

Jessica Robinson — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 04:14:31 +0000

The housing market in the Northwest is finally showing signs of recovery. But there’s one sector of real estate that never let up during the economic downturn. Real estate agents who sell what’s known as “survival realty” are experiencing boom times.

Idaho Could Lose More Than 10,000 Defense-Related Jobs

Emilie Ritter Saunders — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:47:10 +0000

As federal lawmakers debate how to avoid falling off the looming fiscal cliff, a report commissioned for the Aerospace Industries Association shows Idaho could lose 10,411 defense-related jobs. The U.S. could face job losses totaling two million, according to the report.

Idaho Housing Market Shows Steady Improvement

Molly Messick — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 16:41:19 +0000

RealtyTrac’s midyear foreclosure report gives emphasis to the mantra we’ve been hearing all year about Idaho’s housing market: it’s improving.