Idaho Business Review, Boise articles from September 2008

Idaho Business Review, Boise archives from September 2008

Aiming high: Meridian company unveils 'shotgun of the 21st century'.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Simon Shifrin In an old wood-paneled farm building on the outskirts of Meridian, a pair of dedicated machinists has reinvented what a shotgun can do. Eight years ago, Jeff Hajjar and Warren Stockton began tinkering in their...

University of Idaho professor: Bridge design code boils down to detail.
September 1, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Edwin Schmeckpeper said he believes that the strengths of current bridge design codes reside in the little details. What can appear to be a minor detail can make something work or not work, said Schmeckpeper, a...

Idaho Supreme Court: Private legal notices can run in IBR.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Simon Shifrin The Idaho Supreme Court has reversed a lower court decision that prevented the Idaho Business Review from receiving payment for publishing private legal notices. The case stems from a lawsuit filed by the Idaho...

Lemhi looks to forest for energy, economic growth.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone Like many others in Idaho, Lemhi County was hit hard by the decline of the timber and mining industries. But with 94 percent of its more than 4,500 square miles owned either by the state or federal government, the...

July home sales up in Canyon, down in Ada.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Dani Grigg The national rise in July sales of both new homes and existing homes is reflected in Canyon County but not Ada County, according to numbers from the Intermountain Multiple Listing Service. Nationally, the number of new...

Disaster cleanup firm helps restore fire-affected homes in Boise.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone Residents of two fire-ravaged subdivisions in southeast Boise are only just beginning the process of rebuilding their homes and lives after flames destroyed 10 homes, damaged at least 10 others and claimed one life...

Work on Kittyhawk Plaza ends in expanded downtown Eagle.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson Construction of the three-phase Kittyhawk Plaza concluded recently on 1.8 acres on the south side of State Street immediately east of Palmetto Drive - in what is now downtown Eagle. Work started five years ago on...

For Meridian mint oil processor, business heats up.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson Value-added agriculture adds revenue - and work - for Meridian mint farmer and mint oil processor Drew Eggers. Ten large, rectangular boiler tubs and five cylindrical condensers can be seen fronting Eggers' mint...

Idaho's transportation funding faces ' perfect storm,' say officials.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone Several high ranking state and federal officials delivered a presentation on transportation funding issues in Boise Aug. 26, outlining the factors contributing to Idaho's need for $240 million of additional road and...

Job cut details remain sketchy at HP's Boise campus.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone Though ongoing layoffs at Hewlett-Packard have been confirmed, the world's largest technology vendor has steadfastly refused to comment on how many workers it will let go in its Boise-based Imaging and Printing Group...

Rocky Mountain Steel buys former Birdseye building in Boise.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson Rocky Mountain Steel, Nampa, recently occupied a building of more than 90,000 square feet at 400 3rd Ave. N. The business moved from a 20,000-square-foot building at 2515 E. Comstock Ave. The business operates as a...

Commentary: Idaho's a great place for work.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Robb Hicken My son complained the other day that it was so difficult to find a good job - a job that makes him happy and keep his mind active. After we talked for about a half an hour on what it is that keeps him motivated, he...

Meridian OKs Oakcreek community, tables Trade Plaza.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson The Meridian Planning and Zoning Commission Aug. 21 endorsed Oakcreek, a 318-acre residential development proposed between McDermott and Black Cat roads south of Chinden Boulevard / U.S. 20-26. Commissioners...

SBA lenders stay busy despite lower volumes.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson Lenders who specialize in making U.S. Small Business Administration-backed loans feel the effects of a slower economy, but not all of those effects are negative. The number of inquiries has increased, and it seems...

New SBA director in Boise to step up marketing in tough economy.
September 1, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson Even the SBA's healthy Boise District Office faces challenges brought on by a slow U.S. economy, new District Director Norm Proctor said. There is so much going on and there are so many challenges facing Idaho...

Building Permits.
September 1, 2008... BUILDING PERMITS CITY OF BOISE PERMIT/TYPE    OWNER    BUILDER    LOCATION    VALUE 01207-grading    LDS Church    Capital Paving  ...

Boise Real Estate Briefs: September 1, 2008.
September 1, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Three dental practices in the Boise area changed ownership recently, in sales brokered by Wendy Hirai, area sales manager with Consani Seims Ltd. in Boise. Dr. Robert DiGrazia sold his practice at 900 Liberty St., Boise,...

Bid Briefs.
September 1, 2008... Brigham Young University-Idaho 9th Stake Center construction is planned at 289 W. 7th S., Rexburg. Project details are available from architecture firm Nielson Bodily & Associates, P.O. Box 2212, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83403-2212. A bid opening for...

Contracts Awarded.
September 1, 2008... Alpine Construction, Boise, is the general contractor for the remodel of physics lab and multipurpose room at Boise State University, Boise. Cost estimate: $510,000. Modular Structures, Boise, is the general contractor for an office...

WDSGlobal continues Boise expansion.
September 2, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson WDSGlobal by the end of the year plans to recruit 300 more people to work its call center on Kimball Place in Boise, the company said in a release. WDS employs nearly 1,000 call center agents in Boise, where it...

Workshops shed light on SBIR grant process in Idaho.
September 2, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff We know the critical role funding has in properly developing innovative ideas, but many small business owners don't realize that money is available in the federal Small Business Innovation and Research grant program, said...

Nampa seeks input on Amity Avenue improvements.
September 2, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone The City of Nampa is holding an open house on improvements to a stretch of Amity Avenue Sept. 4 at Northwest Nazarene University's Helstrom Business Center, looking for public input on which section of the roadway is...

Site launches Treasure Valley builder referral network.
September 2, 2008... Byline: Dani Grigg Consumers have just been given a tool for choosing a homebuilder that doesn't suck with BuildingCredibility.com's new Construction Excellence forum. It allows recent new-home buyers to recommend their builders and...

2008 Idaho Job and Career Fair Venue for Fall - Winter Hires.
September 2, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff The Idaho Business League, Inc. (IBL), announced the Fall 2008 Idaho Job and Career Fair, Sept 9-10 at Expo Idaho- Western Idaho Fairgrounds. Admission is free to the general public. Event hours are 12PM-5PM, Sept 9...

Idaho developers fined for pollution violations.
September 2, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff The Environmental Protection Agency recently fined developers of the Bella and Rio Vista Estates and South Fork Landing a total of $20,150 for failing to comply with the Clean Water Act. EPA inspectors discovered the...

Summit in Boise to address growing rural-urban conflicts.
September 3, 2008... Byline: IRB Staff A statewide summit on rural and urban water delivery challenges, organized by Idaho's largest water user group, will deal with the impacts of growing urbanization of lands surrounding irrigation water delivery systems...

Plexus announces China expansion.
September 3, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Plexus Corp., which has manufacturing facilities in Nampa, has announced it intends to begin manufacturing in Hangzhou, China, and has entered into an agreement to lease a 106,000 square foot facility in BinJiang Hi-Tech...

Avista customers in Idaho face two potential autumn rate increases.
September 3, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Idaho Public Utilities commissioners are considering a request from Avista Utilities to raise its one-year gas cost surcharge about 14 percent, the second upward adjustment to rates it has requested this summer. The...

Eagle Silicon in Caldwell seeks air-quality permit.
September 3, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Eagle Silicon, 3605 Arthur St., Caldwell, recently applied with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality for an air-quality permit to construct. The permit will regulate emissions from the company's silicon...

Wal-Mart sets farmers' market kickoff in Boise.
September 3, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson Wal-Mart plans to kick off Idaho Preferred Month and with a farmer's market 10 a.m. Sept. 4 at its Meridian super-center store on Fairview Avenue east of Eagle Road. The event marks the start of Wal-Mart's...

Boise-based autism technology start-up settles lawsuit to end squabble with former CFO.
September 4, 2008... Byline: Simon Shifrin One of Idaho's most promising start-ups, a widely praised company that has developed video capture technology to improve treatment for people with autism spectrum disorders, has settled a lawsuit it filed in federal...

Idaho child immunization rates third lowest in country.
September 4, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report National public health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control, have released a survey showing Idaho's immunization rate for children aged 19 to 35 months is 65.6 percent, compared to a national average...

Construction begins on Karcher Village retail building in Nampa.
September 4, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson Renny Wylie just started constructing the 10,850-square-foot Karcher Village retail building in Nampa, west of Best Buy at the Karcher Connector and North Midland. The site has fantastic visibility, and the new...

Idaho Job and Career Fair for fall, winter employees.
September 4, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report Are you one of the victims of a recent layoff? Here's an opportunity to find new career opportunities -- even if you just need a temporary job. The Idaho Business League, Inc. (IBL), announced the Fall 2008...

Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly seeks to move lawsuit out of Idaho's 4th District Court.
September 4, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report Idaho has joined several other states in a lawsuit against pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly. Company officials are now asking that the lawsuit filed against it by Idaho be moved to federal court in New York and...

Urban Land Institute works to sustainable future.
September 4, 2008... Byline: Dani Grigg The current shift toward infill and urban development isn't enough to reverse the patterns of sprawl and energy inefficiency throughout Idaho and the United States, said the Urban Land Institute's worldwide president...

Idaho unemployment jumps in August.
September 5, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report High fuel prices and the persisting fallout from the national housing and financial crises drove Idaho's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate to a four-year high of 4.6 percent in August, the Idaho Department of...

Co-op grocery planned in downtown Meridian.
September 5, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson A co-op grocery is planned in the former McFadden Market building at Second Street and Broadway Avenue in downtown Meridian. Architect Ward Schwider and business partner John McCarthy lead an effort to restore and...

Hoku Materials announces new $455M contract, cancels two others.
September 5, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report Hoku Materials announced a slate of new developments Sept. 4 regarding its planned polysilicon production facility in Pocatello, including that it had secured a 10-year purchase agreement with Chinese ingot...

New coffee blends support World Winter Games in Idaho.
September 5, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report Boise coffee company Moxie Java has created three specialty coffee blends to help raise funds for the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, slated in Idaho Feb. 7-13. Moxie already is a cash sponsor of the...

EPA error allows increased water pollution in N. Idaho, 179.
September 6, 2008... Byline: IBR staff report Regulators announced that cities in northern Idaho have been discharging too much treated sewage into the Spokane River, after it was discovered the Environmental Protection Agency made an error in calculating how...

Emerging communities struggle: Idaho towns reach beyond bedroom community.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Dani Grigg They exist all over Idaho - communities full of beds and little else. When a resident of one of these towns wants to see a movie, it's out of town. Eating out means going out of town. New clothes - out of town, too. ...

Wi-Fight: Wi-Fi vs. WiMAX: Battle lines being laid with new Idaho-tested wireless technology.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Mark Wilcox WiMAX is the new buzzword for forward-thinking Internet users, and DigitalBridge Communications, from Virginia, is doing its best to make sure Idahoans know it. WiMAX technology uses licensed frequencies of radio...

Boise-based Neoreef Corp. expands growing 'software as service'.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson Neoreef Corp., which builds websites and develops hosted software applications, plans to keep adding staff. The company employs five at its new Boise office, 5440 W. Franklin Road, Suite 200. CEO Brian Ernesto said...

Whitetail sale could impact rest of recently slower McCall market.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson McCall home sales and prices remain well below 2005-06 levels, but the recent ownership change at the upscale Whitetail Club & Resort bodes well for the west central Idaho mountain town, several real estate...

WDSGlobal continues Boise expansion.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson WDSGlobal by the end of the year plans to recruit 300 more people to work its call center on Kimball Place in Boise, the company said in a release. WDS employs about 1,000 call center agents in Boise, where it opened...

Idaho State University offers e-commerce training for entrepreneurs.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone According to the National Retail Federation's State of Retailing Online 2008 report, Americans are expected to spend upwards of $200 billion online this year. That's a big pie, and through its new E-commerce...

Nano cells on the attack: Boise State University researchers find cancer-killing particles.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone Anyone familiar with cancer treatment knows about the struggles associated with chemotherapy, but a team of researchers at Boise State University has made a discovery that may lead to advances which could...

Commentary: Palin: McCain's gamble, or rising star? -- The Longer View.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Steve Ahrens Sarah hit it out of the park. Speaking to the Republican Convention Sept. 3, Sarah Palin - the first-ever female Republican vice presidential candidate - injected passion and intensity into a political party that...

Commentary: Don't throw ethanol under the bus.
September 8, 2008... Byline: John Thompson Steve Ahrens' column in the Idaho Business Review is called The Longer View, but his diatribe on ethanol, published Aug. 25, should be called The Inaccurate, Sensationalist View. Mr. Ahrens' most sensational and...

Ex-Albertsons manager creates commercial kitchen in Garden City.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Simon Shifrin Kathy Lowe will open the Treasure Valley's first flexible commercial kitchen for the region's independent bakers, cooks and chefs next month, the outcome of a meandering path she has taken as a small businesswoman...

Idaho Falls chamber looks for growth.(Interview)
September 8, 2008... Byline: Mark Mendiola Robb Chiles is in his sixth year as president and chief executive officer of the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce. Born in Denver, he attended the University of Kansas, where he earned a degree in community and...

Paving the way: 50 years later, Sandpoint's bypass gets the green light.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone On July 30, 1953, the long-since-shuttered Sandpoint News-Bulletin ran a cover story on the Sand Creek Byway that said: First contract for construction will probably be let this fall. President Dwight D. Eisenhower...

Idaho-based Premier Technology, CAES form research partnership.
September 8, 2008... Byline: April Robinson A Blackfoot-based industrial manufacturer, Premier Technology, has announced its partnership with the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) and donated $60,000 in equipment for CAES's new 55-square-foot facility....

Stensgar Pavilion dedicated on Circling Raven course near Spokane.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Report The new multi-purpose pavilion at the Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort & Hotel and Circling Raven Golf Club near Spokane has been named in honor of longtime Coeur d'Alene Tribal Chairman Ernie...

Building Permits.
September 8, 2008... BUILDING PERMITS CITY OF BOISE PERMIT/TYPE    OWNER    BUILDER    LOCATION    VALUE 03049-addition    JMSL of Boise    Petra, Inc  ...

Red Barn huddles beneath green umbrella of 1% for the Planet.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Mark Wilcox Green. It's the color of choice in Teton Valley, a community known for being in tune with nature and the outdoors. To keep the emphasis on the environment, photographer-turned-developer Gabe Rogel is painting the...

Boise Real Estate Briefs: September 8, 2008.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Report Saltzer Medical Group leased the 20,000-square-foot second floor in Medical Office Building West, under construction fronting the east side of Eagle Road just south of Franklin Road in The Portico...

Bid Briefs.
September 8, 2008... The City of Twin Falls plans to purchase a three-phase, standby diesel generator. Project details are available from Deputy City Clerk Sharon M. Bryan, 321 2nd Ave. E., Twin Falls, Idaho 83301. A bid opening is scheduled at 4 p.m. Sept. 9. Cost...

Contracts Awarded.
September 8, 2008... MBA General Contracting LLC, Blackfoot, is the general contractor for two Boise storage buildings on Targee and Gowen Roads (negotiated). Cost not listed. McAlvain Construction Inc., Boise, is the general contractor for the Idaho State...

Welcome mat's out at Boise Guest House.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Gaye Bunderson Coming to Boise? Looking for a place to stay? Try the newly opened Boise Guest House at 614 N. Fifth St. Owner Eve-Marie Bergren purchased an 1895, two-story former residence in downtown Boise, refurbished it...

HP tops data storage market, but with slow growth.
September 8, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report Despite tough conditions in the U.S. economy, which have decreased demand for everything from new homes to semiconductors, the market for computer data storage systems is going strong, and with Palo Alto,...

Ada County landfill to expand.
September 8, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report The second stage of what Ada County calls one of the largest construction projects in Idaho history is scheduled to begin in March. The North Ravine Cell Landfill will grow in 14 stages - with one new cell every...

Georgia company sues MPC for not paying $732,000 in bills.
September 8, 2008... Byline: Simon Shifrin Internal e-mails included as part of a federal lawsuit filed against Nampa-based MPC Computers LLC suggest the company remains in a tough spot. The e-mails were exchanged between MPC and Prism Pointe Technologies...

Idaho's Intermountain Gas Co. requesting one-year increase to rates.
September 8, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report Soaring natural gas prices are prompting another Idaho utility to request an increase to its one-year gas cost surcharge, with Intermountain Gas Company's application to raise average monthly rates by between 15...

Pioneer Fed to build Middleton branch.
September 9, 2008... Byline: Brad Carlson Pioneer Federal Credit Union plans to open a Middleton branch office in early 2009. Construction of the 2,500-square-foot building is expected to start by early October in a commercial plaza on South King Avenue east...

Idaho Independent given 'exceptional' rating.
September 9, 2008... Byline: IBR staff report Florida-based BauerFinancial Inc. recently issued a 5-Star Superior rating to Idaho Independent Bank. BauerFinancial ranked many Idaho-based banks high. Coeur d'Alene-based Idaho Independent moved into the...

Three new warehouses planned in Southeast Boise.
September 9, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Van Auker Companies plans to build three speculative warehouses in Southeast Boise, near the outlet malls. Crews broke ground on the first building, a 165,000-square-foot space, in August, with completion scheduled...

Victor T-shirt design company looks to expands to Midwest.
September 10, 2008... Byline: IBR staff report A Victor, Idaho, T-shirt design company will be opening a production facility near Mt. Vernon, Ill., soon. According to news reports, High Ridge Designs, LLC which caters to a niche market selling, designing...

Zions buys deposits of shuttered Silver State Bank.
September 10, 2008... Byline: IBR staff report Zions Bancorp has stepped forward to take over the insured deposit of failed Silver State Bank. Federal banking regulators on Sept. 5 shut down Silver State Bank. The Henderson, Nev.-based bank, founded 12 years...

HP claims it has "holy grail" of laptops: 24 hour battery.
September 10, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone The Internet is abuzz with Hewlett-Packard's Monday announcement that it had (in the words of HP notebook division head Ted Clark) found the holy grail of laptop computing: A battery that lasts for 24 hours. But...

Idaho small-business index rises.
September 11, 2008... Byline: IBR STaff Report The Zions Bank Small Business Index for Idaho rose from July to August, aided by a higher unemployment rate that implies that more workers are available, a report by economist Jeff Thredgold said. He owns Thredgold...

The Litigation Document Group of Boise declares bankruptcy.
September 11, 2008... Byline: Simon Shifrin The Litigation Document Group of Boise faces a lawsuit, still pending, that claims the firm's owner and manager, Joe Soelberg, subjected employee Candice Gray and other female employees to a sexually hostile work...

Coeur d'Alene ranks No.2 in best-performing small cities.
September 12, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report In a study that ranked 125 small cities, the Milken Institute placed Coeur d'Alene as the No. 2 best performer. The study, released this week, looked at wage and salary growth, job growth and high-tech sector...

Analyst predicts Boise-based Micron stock could double within a year.
September 12, 2008... Byline: IBR Staff Report Things may soon even out for Boise-based memory-chip maker Micron, analysts say, as joint ventures and rumors the company may buy up battered German competitor Qimonda AG have fueled a modest, though significant,...

Commentary: Idaho byway stretches way back in writer's career.
September 15, 2008... Byline: Zach Hagadone In last week's edition of the Idaho Business Review, I was given the opportunity to write an article on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals clearing the way for construction of the Sand Creek Byway in Sandpoint. ...

Idaho engineer's "hypermiling" hobby pays off at the pump.
September 15, 2008... Byline: Gaye Bunderson With a 2001 Saturn SL1 purchased for $3,800 at Nampa Kia, Micron engineer Ernie Hamilton managed to average 53.5 miles per gallon on a recent round trip to Seattle averaging a speed of 60-65 miles per hour. He...

Boise Real Estate Briefs: September 15, 2008.
September 15, 2008... Byline: Idaho Business Review Staff Report Szurgot Electric leased 1,520 square feet of warehouse space at 5111 Alworth St., Suite G, Garden City. Brenda Clay of DK Commercial brokered the transaction. Action Towing leased yard space...

Bid Briefs.
September 15, 2008... Kootenai County plans to remove its old Elections Building at 315 W. Garden Ave., Coeur d’Alene. Project details are available from the Kootenai County Board of Commissioners, P.O. Box 9000, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814-2988. A bid...

Getting that LEED accreditation - Is it really worth it?
September 15, 2008... Byline: Dani Grigg About a year ago, Michael Horn of Driggs-based Open Range Homes took the plunge - he studied up, took the test and was awarded with a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design accreditation. Since then, he's been...

New Teton County Courthouse goes up in Driggs, Idaho.
September 15, 2008... Byline: Dani Grigg When designing the new Teton County Courthouse in Driggs, Plan One/Architects didn't want to do something trendy and didn't want to come up with a building that would blow visitors away with its modern ingenuity. The...

Equipment rental companies in Boise feel downturn, but still find customers.
September 15, 2008... Byline: Dani Grigg Not every individual or company has the space or the funds to keep a bulldozer on site, or a Bobcat, or 500 chairs, or myriad gardening tools. That's where equipment rental companies come in handy. These companies are...

Treasure Valley roofers stay savvy about material trends.(Company overview)
September 15, 2008... Byline: Ken Levy Roofing contractors need to be on top of the latest trends in materials while nurturing their employees to become the best in their field. It's the people, said Mike Madison, owner and managing partner of Madison...

Commercial construction continues in Caldwell, Idaho.
September 15, 2008... Byline: Dani Grigg Overall construction in Caldwell is down almost 60 percent from this time last year. But the one bright spot in the building market comes in the commercial market, which is up 78 percent from last August's levels. ...