Idaho Business Review, Boise articles from December 2007

Idaho Business Review, Boise archives from December 2007

Commentary: STAR offers help for highways - now, not later.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Steve Ahrens The public decision-making process is tedious and slow. Our conservative legislators are good at finding superficially defensible reasons to oppose new ideas - while the problems that might be solved by those new ideas...

Commentary: 'Seating' issue perplexes remodeler, legislators.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Robb Hicken I've spent the last three weeks, honestly it seems like months, renovating my bathroom. There's nothing more appealing to prove manliness than to tear out a portion of one's living environment, rearrange it, and put...

Flexibility award winners show Boise's strengths.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Robb Hicken Understanding why some companies retain employees may find attribution in how a company supports its employees, Patricia Kempthorne, founder and president of Twiga Foundation, told a crowded breakfast gathering Nov. 29....

Bid Briefs.
December 3, 2007... U.S. 95 Snake River Bridge replacement is planned in Weiser. Project details are available from the Idaho Transportation Department, Roadway Design, 3311 W. State St.,  Room 116, Boise, Idaho 83703-5879. Engineering bids are to be opened...

Boise Real Estate Briefs: December 3, 2007.
December 3, 2007... Byline: IBR Staff Beneficial Financial Group leased 3,723 square feet at the new Aspen Creek Center in Nampa. Jennifer McEntee and Tim Reid of Grubb & Ellis Idaho Commercial Group brokered the transaction. Endurance Training and...

Contracts Awarded.
December 3, 2007... Whitewater Creek, Hayden Lake, is the owner, builder and developer of Montrose senior housing, community building and office from 2264 to 2465 W. Campus Loop Road, Post Falls. Cost estimate: $3,836,447. RSCI, Meridian, was awarded a...

Tax-relief proposal in Idaho challenges not insurmountable.(Conference notes)
December 3, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson Freezing assessed values would impact the housing market and taxing districts' budgets, but not necessarily right away, real estate agents and state tax officials said. Idaho Gov. C.L. Butch Otter proposes to...

Basement slab firms up Boise's Aspen project.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert Construction work on the basement foundation on the 17-story Aspen project in downtown Boise has been completed and crews are ready to begin the vertical construction. Last week, construction crews finished pouring...

Boise-based Micron Technology unveils solid state drives.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Eddie Kovsky Micron Technology has launched a new line of solid state drives. The NAND flash-based drives are designed to replace the hard disks used in laptops, personal computers and some servers. The announcement was made...

U.S. Rep. Bill Sali from Idaho expects to introduce immigration bill.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert Sali announced his plans at a meeting of BizNet, a business leads and networking group, last week. The bill would combine border security, increased immigration law enforcement and a temporary worker program with...

Idaho-based Sawtooth Securities builds investment firm from ground up.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson It took Scott Mecham nearly five months to set up Sawtooth Securities, a rare example of an Idaho-based brokerage firm complete with in-house regulatory compliance operations and a growing network of representatives....

University of Idaho extension agent outlines farm prospects in global climate change.
December 3, 2007... Byline: IBR Staff Farmers should prepare for global warming, according to Juliet Windes, a University of Idaho extension cereal cropping systems agronomist in Idaho Falls. Crops requiring higher temperatures, like beans and corn, will...

Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry outlines four main legislative goals for 2008.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert Personal property tax relief, transportation funding, nuclear energy and health policy are the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry's four main legislative goals for 2008. IACI, one of the most powerful...

Plans approved for Winery at Eagle Knoll.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert The Winery at Eagle Knoll's new owner is moving forward with plans to add a residential community and amenities. The Eagle Planning & Zoning Commission last month approved a rezone and annexation for a 31-acre...

Terra View approved - with some reservations by Eagle Planning and Zoning Commissioners.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert Plans for Terra View, a 287-acre housing and commercial development, need a lot of work, Eagle Planning and Zoning Commissioners said last month after approving an annexation and rezone. Terra View, planned at the...

Developers of M3 Eagle unveil the new design at Eagle City Council.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert The developers of M3 Eagle, a planned community proposed in the Eagle Foothills, have reduced the number of homes they plan to build from 8,160 to 5,463, according to a press release from M3 Eagle. Developer Bill...

Idaho 21st in foreclosure rate, drops from 17th.
December 3, 2007... Byline: IBR Staff U.S. foreclosure activity increased 2 percent from September to October, and 94 percent from October 2006, RealtyTrac.com reported Nov. 29. The Irvine, Calif.-based company counts default notices, auction sale notices and...

Boise-based Nature of Strategic Thinking goes beyond thought to action, leadership.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Robb Hicken Strategic thinking may sound like another catchphrase or buzzword to savvy business owners, but then again, Seven Habits was a catchy phrase just 15 years ago. There is a clear gap between the strategic thinking...

Idaho Gov. Otter, Nez Perce and Kootenai tribal officials sign gas tax pact.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Robb Hicken Gov. C.L. Butch Otter and Nez Perce and Kootenai tribes officials reached agreements this week for the collection and allocation of motor fuel taxes on their respective tribal lands, joining the Coeur d'Alene and...

Idaho Legislature examines urban renewal.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert If you don't think urban renewal agencies need to be reigned in, Kathleen Sims has a map to show you. The businesswoman and former Idaho senator presented a map of Couer d'Alene's urban renewal districts to members of...

Idaho's public transit coalition finalizing funding bill.
December 3, 2007... Byline: Eddie Kovsky The Coalition for Regional Public Transportation met today to finalize legislation they will present to the state Legislature next year. A bill presented by the coalition earlier this year, which would have given...

U.S. Court District of Idaho backs R.E. firms in commission "tying" case.
December 4, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson A federal judge on Nov. 30 granted a motion for summary judgment in favor of real estate firms sued over tying lot and home sales commissions. B. Lynn Winmill, chief judge for the U.S. Court District of Idaho, issued...

CEO of Boise-based Micron Technology: What a difference a year makes.
December 4, 2007... Byline: Eddie Kovsky Micron Technology will continue to employ a large number of people in Boise, CEO Steve Appleton said this morning at the company's annual shareholders' meeting. Micron's manufacturing operations are dispersed around...

Community college will open doors in January, thanks to Boise State.
December 5, 2007... Byline: Eddie Kovsky The College of Western Idaho plans to begin offering non-credit classes beginning in January, with professional education courses beginning next fall, the trustees and interim president of the new community college...

Phil Bandy wins runoff vote for Eagle mayor.
December 5, 2007... Byline: Eddie Kovsky Eagle City Councilman Phil Bandy is the new mayor of Eagle. Election results weren't tallied until 11:30 p.m. last night. Bandy beat Saundra McDavid by 153 votes, with 44 percent of Eagle voters turning out for the...

Drought could shrink U.S. flocks; Sheep numbers could decline 4 percent.
December 5, 2007... Byline: Robb Hicken Continued drought and high feed costs could force many U.S. sheep producers to scale back next year, an industry analyst said. U.S. sheep producers have been helped by a strengthened domestic market, the weak dollar...

Idaho wood pellet manufacturer to open plant in Lunenburg.
December 5, 2007... Byline: Robb Hicken A wood fuel pellet manufacturer from Idaho has decided to open a plant in Lunenburg, creating 35 jobs, according to the Virginia Business Magazine. Lignetics, based in Sandpoint, Idaho, will invest $5.35 million in...

Idaho-based Hecla Mining declares preferred stock dividend.
December 5, 2007... Byline: Robb Hicken Hecla Mining Company has declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.875 per share on the outstanding Series B Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, for a total amount of about $138,000. The cash dividend is payable...

Home trend researcher: Stop the gimmicks.
December 5, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert Home buyers can smell your fear. Or at least they can when home sellers offer buyer incentives, said Todd Britsch, President of New Home Trends, a real estate research firm. I've seen free cars, he said. That's...

Idaho's Blaine County gets $1.1M federal grant.
December 6, 2007... Byline: Robb Hicken Blaine County will receive a $1.1 million federal grant to help improve the interoperability of countywide emergency communications. Blaine County Commission was told by county's disaster services coordinator Chuck...

Idaho developers team up to develop the Mason Creek mixed-use project in northeast Meridian.
December 7, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson Cory Swain and Walt Mott recently joined forces to develop the Mason Creek mixed-use project in northeast Meridian. Utility and road construction is under way on the west side of Eagle Road just south of Ustick Road....

Director of Idaho Republican Party becomes new Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry VP.
December 7, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert The Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry has hired Jayson Ronk, the executive director of the Idaho Republican Party, as its vice president. Ronk replaces Mark Dunham, who recently became the executive...

Texas firm to acquire Boise-based CRI Advantage, Inc.
December 7, 2007... Byline: Eddie Kovsky Shea Development Corp. announced last month it has signed an agreement to acquire CRI Advantage, Inc. in a cash and stock transaction. CRI is an information technology consulting firm based in Boise. CRI's core focus...

Developer Clay Carley plans major changes to Boise Rescue Mission project.
December 7, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert Clay Carley, the developer of a mixed-use project planned on the Boise Rescue Mission site on Front Street, said he has completely reconfigured the planned building. The new design could cut the number of condos in...

Willis Stone becomes president of Idaho Association of Realtors.
December 7, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert Twin Falls Realtor Willis Stone took the helm of the Idaho Association of Realtors as its new president Dec. 1. Stone is a real estate agent with Irwin Realty in the Magic Valley. Stone said he is optimistic that...

Idaho jobless rate increases in November.
December 7, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson Idaho seasonally adjusted unemployment rose 2.7 percent in November, from 2.5 percent in October. The November rate is the highest since April, but still below the year-earlier rate, 3.2 percent, state Department of...

Bonner County couple fined for 'wetlands' violations.
December 7, 2007... Byline: Robb Hicken Chantell and Michael Sackett, residents near Priest Lake, have been ordered by the EPA to restore damaged wetlands on their property near Lamb Creek in Bonner County. EPA issued the Sacketts a compliance order for...

Building Permits.
December 10, 2007... BUILDING PERMITS CITY OF BOISE PERMIT/TYPE    OWNER    BUILDER    LOCATION    VALUE 03073-alteration    Richard B Smith    Madison...

Major changes for Boise Rescue Mission plan.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert Clay Carley, the developer of a mixed-use project planned on the Boise Rescue Mission site on Front Street, said he has completely reconfigured the planned building. The new design could cut the number of condos in...

Boise Real Estate Briefs: December 10, 2007.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Report RxElite plans a groundbreaking ceremony Dec. 12 at its 17-acre corporate campus site at Madison Road and Cherry Lane, Nampa. Now based in Meridian, the company develops, manufactures and markets...

Bid Briefs.
December 10, 2007... Idaho Falls School District plans mechanical reworking and exhaust vent work at 601 S. Holmes Ave. and at 605 7th St. Details are available from architectural firm Nielson Bodily & Associates, Kevin Bodily, P.O. Box 2212, Idaho Falls, Idaho...

Contracts Awarded.
December 10, 2007... J C Construction, Meridian, was awarded a contract for a wastewater treatment plant near Lake Hazel Road and Ten Mile Road in Kuna. Cost estimate: $17,024,400. Intermountain Construction, Idaho Falls, was awarded a contract for a golf and...

Idaho Chamber Alliance focuses on transportation.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Eddie Kovsky The Idaho Chamber Alliance is seeking input from businesses around the state on how to pay for Idaho's transportation infrastructure. Transportation is the top issue for the chamber alliance, Executive Director...

College of Western Idaho to open doors in '08; BSU helps.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Eddie Kovsky The College of Western Idaho plans to offer non-credit classes beginning in January, with professional education courses by fall 2008, the trustees and interim president of the new community college said last week. ...

Researcher offers 'rules' for real estate industry at Boise Housing Outlook meeting.(Industry overview)
December 10, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert How do we keep the housing market crash from happening again? Todd Britsch, president of New Home Trends, a real estate research and consulting firm with an office in Boise, told attendees of the Boise Housing...

Commentary: On loyal old dogs ... and Larry Craig.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Robb Hicken I'm a dog lover. Let's just get that out in the open. I think dogs are kindred spirits whose purpose on earth is to sooth man's anger against the world. They're pretty impressive at it too. No matter how poorly they are...

Developers team up on mixed-use project in Meridian.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson Cory Swain and Walt Mott recently joined forces to develop the Mason Creek mixed-use project in northeast Meridian. Utility and road construction is under way on the west of Eagle Road south of Ustick Road....

Several major airlines outline plans to slow their growth, cut costs.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Report Several major airlines outlined plans to slow their growth and cut costs to deal with higher fuel prices and the prospect of an economic slowdown that could hurt air travel. Executives for...

Too much renewal, not enough blight for Coeur d'Alene.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert Kathleen Sims thinks Coeur d'Alene's urban renewal agency has overstepped its bounds. In fact, she thinks its bounds have overstepped their bounds. The boundaries of the Lake City Development Corp. urban renewal...

Micron execs in Boise optimistic despite turbulent year.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Eddie Kovsky Micron Technology will continue to employ a large number of people in Boise, CEO Steve Appleton said last week at the company's annual shareholders' meeting. Micron's manufacturing operations are dispersed around the...

Ada County Assessor McQuade gives home-value freeze idea mixed reviews.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson Ada County Assessor Bob McQuade isn't wild about Idaho Gov. C.L. Butch Otter's idea to freeze home values at the purchase price, then adjust them when the owner sells. But McQuade's view isn't entirely negative....

Meridian-based AmeriBen/IEC approaches 50 years in business.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson The workplace gets more complex all the time - which is fine with AmeriBen / IEC Group CEO Andy Fujimoto. Health care headaches, pension reform, consolidation and an increasingly here-today, gone-tomorrow workforce...

U.S. Court District of Idaho backs real estate firms in 'tying' decision.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson A federal judge on Nov. 30 granted a motion for summary judgment in favor of real estate firms sued over tying lot and home sales commissions. B. Lynn Winmill, chief judge for the U.S. Court District of Idaho,...

Judge questions Idaho Supreme Court's openness in funding case.
December 10, 2007... Byline: IBR Staff A federal judge has criticized the Idaho Supreme Court's handling of a school-district funding case that began more than 17 years ago, according to legalnewsline.com. Several Idaho school districts sued the Supreme...

Foreclosures stay high in Ada, Canyon counties.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson Foreclosure filings in Ada and Canyon counties remain high in comparison to historical totals, Idahodataproviders.com said in a report. Ada County foreclosure filings have been increasing steadily this year, the...

State of Idaho awarding low-interest infrastructure loans.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson Idaho plans to award nearly $1 million in low-interest loans to three companies in the Magic Valley today at the Twin Falls railyard. High Desert Milk will use its $37,000 loan to upgrade railroad siding at its...

Boise forum to address executive compensation.
December 10, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson Setting executive compensation and incentives, from board and shareholder perspectives, will be addressed in the sixth annual Intermountain Business Forum from 7:30 a.m. to noon Dec. 13 at Boise Centre on the Grove....

Construction of Royal Plaza in downtown Boise comes to end.
December 11, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert Construction work on the Royal Plaza condo project at 11th and Main streets in downtown Boise is nearly finished, according to developer Bob Hosac. Condo buyers could start moving in next week, he said. The Royal...

Canyon County commercial R.E. market notches another big year.
December 11, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson Considerable retail leasing to go along with still-strong retail construction highlighted the Nampa-Caldwell market this year, according to Gunstream Commercial Real Estate's annual Canyon County Commercial Real Estate...

Washington Mutual cuts more than 3,000 jobs in Idaho.
December 11, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson Washington Mutual Inc. on Dec. 10 announced restructuring plans that include cutting jobs in its Home Loans business and discontinuing all remaining lending through its subprime mortgage unit. Idaho will feel some...

Valley County, Tamarack discuss West Mountain road.
December 12, 2007... Byline: IBR Staff Report Tamarack officials want to move forward on upgrading West Mountain Road to construct a neighborhood on the south end of the resort, but Valley County Commissioners are holding out on approval with some concerns....

North Western Energy proposes power line extension.
December 12, 2007... Byline: Robb Hicken North Western Energy has proposed to build a 500 kilovolt transmission line between southwestern Montana and southeastern Idaho. The transmission line's main purpose will be to meet requests for transmission service...

M3 Eagle approved by Eagle City Council.
December 12, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert The Eagle City Council last night approved M3 Eagle, a planned community that would encompass 6,005 acres and 7,153 homes. The council approved an annexation and zoning ordinance amendment and M3 Eagle's...

Governor Otter awards rural community grants to Sugar City, Burley.
December 12, 2007... Byline: IBR Staff Report Gov. C.L. Butch Otter has approved rural community block grants of $500,000 each for Sugar City and Burley to assist in economic development and job creation in the area. The Sugar City grant, according to a...

Post Falls foreclosure rescue firm settles with Id. A.G. Office.
December 13, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert Highland Financial, a Post Falls firm offering mortgage foreclosure rescue services, has agreed in a legal settlement with Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden to stop misleading advertising and business practices....

Canada-based Thompson Creek announces changes to production estimates for 2007.
December 13, 2007... Byline: IBR Staff Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc., one of the world's largest publicly traded, pure molybdenum producers, predicted estimates for 2008 and 2009 would remain unchanged. Company officials stated in a press release that...

ON Semiconductor to buy Pocatello-based AMIS in all-stock transaction.
December 13, 2007... Byline: IBR Staff The Wall Street Journal this morning is reporting that ON Semiconductor Corp. will buy AMIS Holdings Inc., parent of AMI Semiconductor, in an all-stock transaction worth about $915 million. Shareholders of AMIS, a...

Idaho Falls looking at conference center.
December 13, 2007... Byline: Robb Hicken The city of Idaho Falls and Chamber of Commerce are pushing residents for a new convention center, one that would double the size of the city's current facilities. Currently, the largest convention/gathering place...

U of Idaho's Tim White discusses the business of education.
December 14, 2007... Byline: Eddie Kovsky Tim White is the president of the University of Idaho. With the scandal surrounding University Place pretty much resolved, how is the building being used now? Are you continuing to expand in the Treasure Valley?...

Qwest to issue first dividend since 2001.
December 14, 2007... Byline: IBR Staff Report Qwest Communications International Inc. will issue its first dividend since 2001, the telecommunications company announced Thursday, setting a recurring quarterly payout to shareholders of 8 cents per share. ...

Ameriquest Mortgage settlement pays Idahoans $432,000.
December 14, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson A multi-state settlement with Ameriquest Mortgage means 455 Idaho residents will receive more than $432,000 in restitution payments, Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden said. The settlement resolved allegations by...

Hale's Perennial Townhomes approved on old Boise nursery site.
December 14, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert Developer David Hale's condo and townhome project on the former Hillside Nursery site, Perennial Townhomes, received design review approval this week. The 37-unit project includes eight buildings - four townhouse...

Stadium expansion designed to create community facility.
December 17, 2007... Byline: Ken Levy More than 83,600 square feet of luxury suites, expanded seating, club rooms and other facilities are going in on the west side of Bronco Stadium at Boise State University. When completed, the expansion and additions to the...

Boise-based Idaho Earth Builders uses building materials found right at the construction site.
December 17, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert In a typical single-family home, your lumber might come from Washington, your insulation from Texas, and your drywall materials from Utah. Paul Lamon wants to use building materials found right at the construction...

Fed subprime mortgage plan to offer limited relief.
December 17, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson Relief to subprime mortgage holders will be limited under a plan that President Bush and major financial firms announced earlier this month. Borrowers who took out subprime loans from January 2005 through July...

Canyon County commercial market notches good sales year, report shows.
December 17, 2007... Byline: Brad Carlson Commercial real estate highlights this year in the Nampa-Caldwell area included considerable retail leasing to go along with still-strong retail construction, according to Gunstream Commercial Real Estate's annual...

Ada County foreclosures level off.
December 17, 2007... Byline: IBR Staff Foreclosure filings in Ada and Canyon counties remain high compared to historical totals, Idahodataproviders.com reported. Ada County foreclosure filings have been increasing steadily this year, the report read, and...

Shaw Mountain conversion on track in north Boise area.
December 17, 2007... Byline: IBR Staff Arthur Berry & Co. plans to finish converting the 52-unit Shaw Mountain Heights Apartments complex into Shaw Mountain Condominiums by next spring. The target market for the condos in north Boise includes younger...

ON Semiconductor to buy Pocatello-based AMIS.
December 17, 2007... Byline: IBR Staff The Wall Street Journal reported on Dec. 13 that ON Semiconductor Corp. will buy AMIS Holdings Inc., parent of AMI Semiconductor, in an all-stock transaction worth about $915 million. Shareholders of AMIS, a Pocatello...

Legislature to consider state medical school in Idaho.(Clinical report)
December 17, 2007... Byline: Eddie Kovsky The State Board of Education has received a final report on the viability of building a medical school in Idaho. The report is the result of a bill passed in the last legislative session, which tasked the Board of...

Univ. of Idaho business clinic helps students bridge gap between theory, practice.
December 17, 2007... Byline: Eddie Kovsky Navigating the legal obstacles and pitfalls to starting a business can be challenging - both for businesses and law students who are about to become practicing attorneys. Small businesses frequently don't have the...

Commentary: Surprising progress on new college -- The Longer View.
December 17, 2007... Byline: Steve Ahrens Perspective often is the first casualty of the daily onslaught of news and information that assaults us from every side. It's the old can't see the forest for all the trees syndrome, especially with subjects like...

How much for the lumber? Don't panic yet.
December 17, 2007... Byline: Ken Miller National construction industry analysts are predicting an end to the calm in construction materials and labor costs in coming months, but Idaho builders may buck that trend and see stable prices well into 2008, industry...

Nampa-based Radix Construction knows where the beef is.
December 17, 2007... Byline: Lora Volkert Company name: Radix Construction Owner/president: Dave Ward, president and co-owner; Scott Stimpson, vice president and co-owner; Tony O'Neil, vice president and co-owner Year founded: 2003 Headquarters: Nampa...