Idaho Business Review, Boise articles from December 2008

Idaho Business Review, Boise archives from December 2008

Thornton Oliver Keller Commercial Real Estate in Boise report predicts higher industrial vacancy.
December 1, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff The industrial real estate market in Ada and Canyon counties has seen flat absorption in the second half of the year through October, following two consecutive quarters of negative absorption, according to a new report by...

Sunday liquor sales approved in Canyon County.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone Canyon County residents will soon be able to buy a bottle of the hard stuff on Sundays, after county commissioners unanimously voted Dec. 1 to allow the sale of liquor at state and contract stores seven days a week....

Eagle, Ada County discuss growth and traffic solutions.
December 1, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff The future of development in the foothills and its impact on traffic will be discussed in a joint meeting with Eagle's city council, the Ada County Commission and the Ada County Highway District at noon Dec. 2 in the ACHD...

Idaho Gov. Otter announces additional 3 percent budget cut.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Simon Shifrin Gov. C.L. Butch Otter ordered state agencies Dec. 1 to cut another 3 percent from their budgets this year on top of the 1 percent spending reduction he ordered in September in response to an increasingly gloomy...

Perfect Landing: Snake River Landing, a new commerce epicenter, headed for Idaho Falls.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Mark Mendiola Watch out Grand Teton Mall, you've got serious competition on the horizon. Snake River Landing, an ambitious multi-use development encompassing 400 acres between the Snake River and the I-15 is headed into Idaho...

Girding up for plug-ins: Groups seek power system management in Idaho.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone On June 29, afternoon temperatures hit 105 degrees in southwestern Idaho, breaking an 18-year record by two degrees. With hundreds of thousands of air conditioners blasting around the clock, Idaho Power reported the...

Idaho court approves Nampa agency bonding power.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Simon Shifrin An urban renewal project in downtown Nampa passed an important legal threshold on Nov. 20 when a judge ruled against a group of taxpayers who had sought to challenge the Nampa Development Corp.'s ability to incur...

Idaho average gas price falls under $2.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Report Idaho's average price for regular unleaded gasoline is below $2 a gallon. Based on AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge Report, the average price dropped below the $2 mark to $1.995 on Nov. 23. Idaho's...

Foreclosure-purchase funds coming to Idaho.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson The Idaho Housing and Finance Association plans to use the state's $19.6 million share of federal Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 funding to help get foreclosed homes into the hands of qualified buyers. ...

Boise's 8th Street remodel re-invigorates marketplace.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Dani Grigg The 8th Street Marketplace in downtown Boise has undergone a transformation. The $1.5 million interior renovation and new exterior signage aims to unify the various entities under an updated but classic aesthetic....

KeyBank eyes branch projects in Idaho's Treasure Valley.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Report KeyBank is considering two more branch-remodeling projects next year in the Treasure Valley, in Meridian and in west Nampa, said Jared Frothinger, retail leader for the bank's Idaho district. ...

Glacier Bancorp completes public offering.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Report Glacier Bancorp has completed a public offering of 6,325,000 shares of common stock at a price of $15.50 per share, including the over-allotment of 825,000 shares exercised by the underwriters. ...

Idaho electricity co-ops sign long-term contracts for low-cost hydro power.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Report Four Idaho electricity cooperatives have signed new long-term power supply contracts with PNGC Power, a Portland-based power generation and transmission cooperative of cooperatives owned by 15...

Boise-based WinCo Foods sees new customers in tight economy.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson WinCo Foods, the Boise-based chain of discount grocery stores, sees an increase in customer traffic as the economy stays soft. Total revenues exceed year-earlier levels, and same-store sales growth continues to...

Price index for Treasure Valley: Cost of food eaten at home has risen more than food eaten out.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Report The cost of food away remained steady, but the cost of food at home rose by 1.6 percent from September to October, according to Wells Fargo's recently released Consumer Price Index for the Treasure...

Canadian mining company and conservation groups agree to project protocol.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Report Development of a 1,500-ton a year underground mine in the Upper Salmon River area will progress after Formation Capital Corp., a Canadian mining company, reached an agreement with two environmental...

Commentary: Five critical steps for small business.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Norm Proctor Cash flow is the lifeblood of all small businesses. Cash flow allows a business to make payroll, pay suppliers, and keep its doors open. We have been told that there is a credit crunch and that small business lenders...

Commentary: Thank God, especially today, for a job.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Robb Hicken I listened as a coworker bemoaned the fact that there was just not enough work for her husband who works in the construction industry and he had been laid off. Nothing he'd done, but simply there was no work. What...

Green upgrades, creative tenants targeted for downtown Boise.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson An environmentally friendly development centered on the 16,000-square-foot former Strawn's Building is planned on the west side of downtown Boise. The West End Downtown Green venture includes J Crist Gallery owners...

Leader of Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission foresees industry's growth.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson Moya Shatz is the executive director of the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission, 524 S. 9th Ave., Suite 101, Caldwell. She is the commission's only employee. She started her current job in early...

Feds share energy production revenue with 35 states, including Idaho.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone Idaho was among the 35 states to receive a combined $2.59 billion from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service, agency officials said Nov. 20. The funds were released as part of a program...

Boise Real Estate Briefs: December 1, 2008.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Report Harvest Life Church leased 9,122 square feet at 2513 Sundance, Nampa. Chris Pearson and Gavin Phillips of Thornton Oliver Keller brokered the transaction. Idaho Home Health & Hospice, a home...

Contracts.
December 1, 2008... The Twin Falls School District’s board accepted a $2.23 million bid from Beniton Construction Company for construction on Twin Falls High School. The 10,000-square-foot addition project will connect the school’s two gymnasiums and...

Bid Briefs.
December 1, 2008... Hyline International water line project, Burley. Bidding: 11 a.m. Dec. 2. Bids: City of Burley. Description: Extend water lines to the Hyline International development.   Boise City Library exterior entry remodel. Bidding: 2 p.m. Dec. 3....

New look to Idaho Falls: Pier View Court construction nears completion.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Report A new group of buildings is nearing completion at Snake River Landing. Pier View Court is comprised of four Class A buildings featuring colorful timeless main-street architecture, large windows...

Idaho mountain town of McCall opens doors for design, construction.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Joni Kirk The mountain town of McCall, with its high elevation, large annual snowfall and lakeside presence, presents a unique environment for learning about facility design and construction. For University of Idaho students, it...

P.V. Quinn finds success with travel publications in Boise-area market.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Gaye Bunderson Pat Quinn found a niche in the publishing industry he feels will help him ride out the economic tailspin currently gripping the country. Tourist-related publications are pretty strong, he said. People are still...

Murie Design Group in Boise feels comfortable with competition.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Gaye Bunderson Murie Design Group in Boise prides itself on working well with the competition and on doing as much work in-house as possible. James Albert, vice president of Murie, said, We work with other competitors. I am...

SE Idaho investment market ripe with opportunity.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Mark Wilcox Looking at Wall Street may have some people thinking about investing in a nice, thick mattress in which to cache their cash. But experts continue to agree that better opportunities exist even in the current turbulent...

Building Permits.
December 1, 2008... BUILDING PERMITS   CITY OF BOISE PERMIT/TYPE    OWNER    BUILDER    LOCATION    VALUE 02403-demolition    Harry Adams    RRC...

Feeding a state in a distressed economy is work, says VP of operations for Idaho Foodbank.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Mark Mendiola For Roy Lacey, moving into his new, larger warehouse on South First Avenue in Pocatello couldn't have come a moment too soon. The Idaho Foodbank vice president of operations expects the demand for food to escalate...

Idahoans on the Move: December 1, 2008.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Report New Hires Hart joins utilities group as executive director The Idaho Consumer-owned Utilities Association has hired Will Hart as its full-time executive director. Hart brings more than 11 years...

Study ranks Idaho highly in economic freedom.
December 1, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff The Pacific Research Institute, in association with Forbes magazine, ranks Idaho second in its 2008 U.S. Economic Freedom Index. The recent study measures factors related to an individual's ability to pursue their...

Atlanta Gold to complete $2.5M private placement in Elmore County.
December 2, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Atlanta Gold Inc. is expected move forward with a private offering of 25 million units that could raise as much as $2.5 million. Atlanta Gold and its subsidiary, Atlanta Gold Corporation, has about 2,081 acres under...

St. Luke's Hospital in Boise offers cardiac treatment using world's smallest heart pump.
December 2, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff St. Luke's has joined the growing number of hospitals using a tiny new heart pump that expands treatment options for critically ill cardiac patients. Developed by Danvers, Mass.-based Abiomed, the Impella Circulatory...

Treasure Valley Business Group buys food marketer TKM.
December 2, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Treasure Valley Business Group, a portfolio company of Creo Capital Partners LLC, on Dec. 1 announced that it purchased the assets of TKM2 Sales Solutions LLC (TKM). The acquisition mark's Creo's ninth investment in the...

Idaho Water Resource Board mulls Eastern Snake draft plan.
December 2, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff The Idaho Water Resource Board will present an overview and receive comment on the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer draft Comprehensive Aquifer Management Plan (CAMP) during a public meeting tonight at 7 at Pocatello City...

Ensign Group's Pocatello Care & Rehabilitation Center receives recognition.
December 2, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff The Ensign Group's Pocatello Care & Rehabilitation Center has successfully graduated from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' Special Focus program. A clinical team led by Laurie House, director of Nursing...

Ada County to consider Dry Creek planned community.
December 3, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Ada County will hear the public's comments tonight on a 4,300-home community in the foothills north of Eagle. The Dry Creek Ranch discussion is a carry-over from previous Board of County Commissioners meetings. ...

Areva applies for federal loan guarantee for Eagle Rock facility.
December 3, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone Global energy giant Areva submitted the second and final part of its loan guarantee application to the Department of Energy Dec. 2, asking for the federal government to guarantee $2 billion in loans to finance its...

Idaho State University Informatics Research Institute receives $1.2 million NSF grant.
December 3, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff A $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation has been awarded to ISU's College of Business Informatics Research Institute and National Information Assurance Training and Education Center The grant, which...

Idaho names Lane Packwood economic development administrator.
December 3, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff The Idaho Department of Commerce has hired Lane Packwood as administrator for its Economic Development Division. Packwood has been a full-time officer in the Army National Guard and U.S. Army since 1993. He served in...

Commentary: Welcome to the ownership society.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Michael Boss In case you missed last Sunday's Idaho Statesman, I heartily encourage you to go online and check out Anna Webb's excellent story on Boise Valley Habitat for Humanity's green team. The story is part of the paper's...

Boise State University program helps Idaho firms do business in Europe.
December 4, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Boise State University is inviting Idaho companies to take part in its fifth annual Heidelberg Project, a program that offers selected firms a marketing study, analysis and plan to assess the potential of their products...

Idaho Gov. Otter proposes mix of measures to fund transportation needs.
December 4, 2008... Byline: Simon Shifrin Gov. C.L. Butch Otter offered the first specifics of his proposal to raise funds for state transportation needs on Dec. 3, calling for a hike in gasoline taxes, an increase in other fees and a streamlining of the...

A Canyon County-based irrigation district wants legislator to meet on rural-urban encroachment.
December 4, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff A Canyon County-based irrigation district wants state lawmakers to influence a discussion on water issues between rural and urban areas. Alan Newbill, board president of the Pioneer Irrigation District, said Idaho...

Ada and Canyon counties defaults drop in November.
December 4, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Foreclosure starts in Ada and Canyon counties dropped from 575 combined in October to 406 in November, IdahoDataProviders.com reported. The 41 percent decline contrasts with a 22.6 percent increase from September to...

Idaho workers notified about additional federal benefits.
December 4, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Letters are being sent to thousands of Idaho workers notifying them they could be eligible for additional federally financed unemployment insurance benefits. President George W. Bush last month signed legislation...

Ada County postpones decision on Dry Creek development.
December 4, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff The Ada County Board of Commissioners again postponed a decision on the 4,300-home Dry Creek planned community in the foothills north of Eagle. After about 20 people testified either for or against the development in a...

Idaho Power requests developers, new customers to bear more cost of construction.
December 4, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff The Idaho Public Utilities Commission is giving interested parties until Dec. 10 to file as intervenors in a case initiated by Idaho Power Co. that would increase how much builders and developers have to pay for new...

Idaho House minority leader steps down.
December 4, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Idaho House Minority Leader Wendy Jaquet, a Ketchum Democrat who has held the party's top post in the House since 1998, stepped down from her post during the Idaho Democratic Legislative Caucus' organizational meeting...

Emmett car dealership Bill Buckner Motors closes.
December 5, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report Emmett car dealership Bill Buckner Motors is closing due to finances. Factors included a partner's actions that caused the business to fall out of favor with its lender, KTVB Channel 7 reported. An employee...

Office vacancies reach historic high in Treasure Valley.
December 5, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report In the Treasure Valley, 12.55 percent of office space is now vacant, according to a new report from Thornton Oliver Keller. That represents a historic high for the area and puts inventory at an 18-month supply. ...

Hecla Mining, which owns Idaho mine, settles with EPA.
December 5, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report Hecla Mining Co., which owns and operates Lucky Friday Mine and Mill in Idaho's northern panhandle, has agreed to pay $85,000 and provide more than $17,000 in cash and emergency equipment as part of its latest...

Thompson Creek, with mine and mill in Idaho, cuts back B.C. expansion plan.
December 5, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Thompson Creek Metals Company, one of the world's largest publicly traded, pure molybdenum producers, is postponing expansion project at its Endako Mine in British Columbia. Corporate officials said the sharp decline...

Widespread layoffs send November unemployment rate to 15-year high.
December 5, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report Seasonally adjusted unemployment pushed statewide numbers to a 15-year high, as layoffs swept across the state in November, leaving a record 44,100 workers without jobs. More than 8,700 private-sector jobs...

Hopkins Financial Services sets charity event at Boise Centre.
December 5, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report Hopkins Financial Services plans its 25th annual Christmas party - this year a charity event - from 4 to 10 p.m. Dec. 17 at Boise Centre on the Grove. The event will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Boise...

Hewlett-Packard reportedly freezing salaries.
December 5, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report Hewlett-Packard's cost-cutting measures have been sweeping over the past year - from merging data centers and reorganizing key business lines, to announcing a 7.5 percent work force reduction by 2011 and even...

Idaho's 41st Annual Potato Conference aims to help growers cope with tumultuous times.(Conference news)
December 9, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Efficiency, sustainability and profitability will be the focus of the University of Idaho's 41st Annual Potato Conference Jan. 21-22 in Pocatello. What we're seeing in the world right now is volatility, said Nora...

Feds solicit public opinion on E. Idaho uranium enrichment plant.
December 9, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is holding a public comment meeting in Idaho Falls Dec. 10 to assess community support for international energy firm Areva's proposed Eagle Rock Uranium Enrichment Facility at a site near...

Canyon commercial R.E. market holds up in 2008.
December 9, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson Vacancy in Canyon County commercial buildings dropped in the retail category and held steady in office and industrial sectors from December 2007, the just-released Canyon County Commercial Real Estate Update said....

Helpenstell to retire from Home Federal Bank in Nampa.
December 9, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Fred H. Helpenstell is retiring as a director of the Home Federal Bank in Nampa at the conclusion of the company's annual meeting. The nominating committee of the company's board has identified and unanimously...

Increased affordability may lead to housing crisis improvement in Idaho, economist says.
December 9, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff The number of residential construction permits issued in Idaho was down by 31.2 percent from year-previous numbers in September, and Wells Fargo economist Dr. Kelly K. Matthews is taking that as a good sign. The...

New memory technology from Boise-based Micron improves storage capacity for embedded apps.
December 9, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Micron Technology has introduced a new serial NAND flash memory technology that the company said will enable easier and more cost-effective expansion of storage capacity for embedded applications in products like...

Survey reveals majority of U.S. employers holding staff steady for 1st quarter of 2009.
December 10, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Temporary hiring service surveyed more than 31,000 employers and found that most are holding steady in their staffing needs for the next quarter. Manpower, with offices in Boise, reported that U.S. employers are...

Panhandle, southwest expected to buoy Idaho jobs through 2016.
December 10, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff The financial and housing crises that threw the national economy into recession are reining in the prospects across most of Idaho for job growth through 2016. North and southwest Idaho - where the health care sector is...

Seattle charter service to include Sun Valley.
December 10, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Galvin Flying Services, of Seattle, is expecting to its growing charter fleet air service in Sun Valley beginning in 2009. We are adding aircraft to provide increased options for charter service in 2009 as we foresee...

University of Phoenix in Meridian offers free job fair, employment workshops.
December 10, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone With Idaho's seasonally adjusted unemployment figures hitting a 15-year high in November, job-seekers need all the help they can get. In response to challenging times the University of Phoenix in Meridian is hosting a...

Boise issues first parking passes to zero-emission vehicle owners.
December 10, 2008... Byline: Simon Shifrin Boise will follow through on its ordinance to promote electric vehicles when it issues its first free-parking permits to a group of zero-emission vehicle owners during an event at City Hall Dec. 11. The event, at...

Lewiston-Nez Perce County airport receives state grant.
December 10, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone The Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport received a $25,000 grant from the Idaho Transportation Department's Division of Aeronautics this week, paving the way for the airport to leverage up to $500,000 in...

Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission approves two restaurants, fitness facility.
December 10, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson The Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission on Dec. 4 approved a conditional-use permit for Boise Food Service to construct a Sonic and Taco Time restaurant buildings, both with drive-through lanes. The stand-alone...

Boise retailer creates giving program.
December 12, 2008... Byline: Dani Grigg Following in the footsteps of national campaigns like GAP's (Product)Red partnership or the companies (like outdoor clothing retailer Patagonia) involved in the 1% For the Planet effort (which now includes 10 Idaho...

Ada County home prices drop most since market turned.
December 12, 2008... Byline: Dani Grigg In Ada County, the median home price dropped 6.8 percent between October and November, according to new numbers from the Intermountain Multiple Listing Service. That is the biggest month-over-month drop since prices...

Bank of the Cascades donates to Idaho Foodbank.
December 12, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report Bank of the Cascades recently donated $1,500 to The Idaho Foodbank to provide hunger relief for low-income families pressured by a sagging economy. Each year, in lieu of traditional gifts, our employees choose...

Nampa to hold public meeting on shortened workweek.
December 12, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report The City of Nampa is considering a four-day workweek for at least some employees, and will hold a town hall meeting Dec. 17 to discuss the option. The city is looking at shifting to four 10-hour work days for...

North Canyon Medical Center fund is on hold.
December 15, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff The Partners in Healthcare board for the Gooding County Memorial Hospital has voted to remove its $30 million in bond offering for the new medical center project from the market. The board of...

Idaho government officials sign agreement to start construction of detox facility in April 2009.
December 15, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff A 9,200-square-foot detox facility, to be operated by a third-party medical provider, moved a step closer to construction. Partners in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Crisis Center - Boise,...

Elmore County sets Feb. 11 hearing date for Idaho nuclear plant.
December 15, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Idaho's first commercial nuclear plant takes a step closer to realization Feb. 11, when the Elmore County Commission will consider a request to rezone approximately 1,300 acres of land to accommodate the...

Sen. Mike Crapo takes leadership position on renewable energy.
December 15, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, will serve as one of three co-chairman of the U.S. Senate Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus, it was announced Dec. 12. The chairmanship puts the senator in a leading...

Building the future: Young Idaho developers look at growth.
December 15, 2008... Byline: Dani Grigg Today's newcomers in the development world are the industry drivers of tomorrow, and they're being shaped by a different economic and cultural climate than their predecessors. Like others of their generation, they...

Accelerated job loss nags Boise commercial real estate.
December 15, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson The acceleration of U.S. job losses since September is worrisome and it will have a negative impact on commercial real estate, a Grubb & Ellis corporate economist said. Southwest Idaho's outlook is similar. The...

Boise-based Micron doing relatively well, execs report.
December 15, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone Relative was the key word at Micron's annual shareholder meeting Dec. 11. With the company's stock trading below $5 since early September, the economy in chaos and memory chip prices dropping 90 percent in the past 18...

Groups give OK to American Falls fertilizer plant.
December 15, 2008... Byline: Mark Mendiola Environmental and tribal groups worried about carbon dioxide emissions and community leaders eager for an economic boost have submitted opinions about Southeast Idaho Energy's plan for a $1 billion coal-gasified...

Bank of West logs strong first year for commercial office.
December 15, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson Bank of the West will continue to add personnel to its now year-old Idaho commercial banking operation as demand warrants. Bank of the West on Nov. 19, 2007, opened its Idaho commercial banking group office on the...